Once Upon Another Time
by Frank Kjesus
Summary: In the world of fairytales, Rose longs to go back into the woods, but a terrible beast dwells there. In a different realm the same Rose meets a mysterious man. Can either resist the temptation of danger? Other fairytales featured. Feel free to submit ideas or fairy tale suggestions. SYOC Open (specific OC nedded, contact by PM)
1. Rose

" _Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night."_

\- Sarah Williams

Rose remembered the time before the forest became forbidden. She remembered sitting under large evergreens gazing up at the clouds drifting lazily by as her sister braided her hair with flowers. She remembered lying in clearings looking up at the stars with her sister beside her, trying hopelessly to count the stars before falling into a deep, peaceful sleep. She remembered the festival, where everyone from the village would wear their best clothes and go dancing in the woods. There'd be music, lanterns hanging around filling the clearing with soft sounds and warm lighting.

There hadn't been a festival in the woods for nearly a decade. No longer did little girl pick flowers in it's meadows. No longer could children lie peacefully under the night sky, surrounded by trees, and no longer did the villagers go dancing in the moonlight. A beast had taken over the woods and no man dared to enter for fear of him. Still, one old woman seemed to completely ignore the new danger of the forest. She kept her little house in woods, growing her food in the garden and only ever seeing humans to trade with them. Or if her young grandaughter decided to visit. Like her grandmother, Rose never really learned to fear the forest, even after the terrible wolf was spotted.

"Don't you ever miss the festival?" Rose asked over her shoulder to her friend, whose back she was leaning against. She felt his shoulders tense and turned her head to try to look at his face.

"Not really," Monty answered with a sigh, relaxing his shoulders in a shrug and trying to seem non-chalant. Raising an eyebrow Rose picked another flower from the abundance around her and placed it with the others in her lap. With nimble fingers she wove them together to form a circle of white, yellow and green. "Besides, I'd rather not be killed by some vicious beast just for a dance."

"I would," his companion replied softly, her eyes being pulled to the edge of the forest just beyond the meadow they were sitting in. Though she couldn't see him she could feel Monty's incredulous stare bore into the back of her head. "Okay, not really, but I just miss the old days. I miss playing hide and seek between the trees and I miss all the flowers! Do you even remember the crowns of flowers that Lily used to make? I used to feel like a little fairy princess when I wore them."

"I think your crowns are nice," Monty answered with a certain indignity.

"But they're not the same," Rose stated as he missed point. She lookied down at at her work with disdain. The soft, chilly breeze brought the scent of evergreens to her from the nearby forest, as if to say that it missed her too. Rose pulled her red cloak around her more tightly to shelter herself from the beginning cold of autumn. "I just don't want one bad thing to keep us from all the wonderful things in the forest."

"No one does, but your grandmother seems to be the only who isn't bothered by a giant beast waiting to eat her the moment she steps outside her garden."

"Granny isn't afraid of anything," Rose smiled proudly. "One day I'm going to be like her."

"An old widow living alone in the woods?" Monty asked, amusement and mocking clear in his voice. He shifted to his knees and turned to her, placing one big hand on her jaw to turn her face toward him. "Not if I have any say."

"Not like that," Rose replied with annoyance creeping into her voice. "I want to be brave like her."

"I don't think you need any more bravery than you already have," he replied lightly, placing a playful kiss on her lips. "You even kill your own spiders, don't you?"

His mocking earned him a light slap on the arm as his companion turned her back to him. "Don't mock me!"

"I'm sorry, Rosie, I didn't mean it like that," he defended himself, but was unable to keep the amusement from his voice. Snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her into his chest without resistance, he got the feeling she was never really offended by his words. When he leaned down to kiss her neck and the tension melted from her shoulders he knew he had been right. To kiss more freely he pulled her raven hair to the side and was delighted when she leaned back into him and closed her eyes.

"I still miss the forest," Rose sighed as Monty placed a soft kiss on her cheek.

* * *

 _Once upon a time there lived a King with his daughter, whom he loved very much. The girl was beautiful and just, wishing only the best for her people. The queen had died when the girl was but a babe, yet the image of the mother was found in the daughter. Her hair was golden like rays of the sun and her eyes were the blue of the sea. The king lived with his daughter for many years in peace and every year she grew in wisdom and beauty. All the kingdom loved her and she loved all the kingdom._

 _However, not all outside the kingdom loved the princess as the king and kingdom did. There was a man, an evil sorcerer who wished with all his heart to have the kingdom for his own. He captured the young princess and brought her far away. The king lamented the loss of his daughter and declared that whoever could bring her back to him would be rewarded with her hand in marriage and a future as king. The evil sorcerer knew he couldn't barge in and claim he just found the poor girl and wanted to bring her back to her father, for the king knew him and would see through his lies at once. Finding her would prove an arduous task, for the sorcerer had cursed her to life as a swan by day, only to return to her human form by the light of the moon. She would remain a swan until a man who was faithful to her would kiss her and declare her as his love. If the man she kissed, declared her as his love, but was not faithful to her, the princess would be cursed to remain a swan forever._

 _So the princess remained lost, though many a prince and peasant searched for her._

* * *

"Mother, Rose, have you heard?" Lily had hardly opened the door before the question left her lips. Her raven hair fell in ringlets around her usually pale, but now flushed face. She was out of breath, but smiled with the reckless joy of a child. "The prince is giving a festival!"

"The prince?" Her mother asked.

"A festival?" Her little sister exclaimed.

"Yes," Lily answered both with a beaming smile. "He's giving a ball to find a wife and all the kingdom has been invited. Oh, Rosie, isn't it wonderful?"

"Mother, can we go?" Rose turned to her mother with pleading eyes, looking like a child with her big brown eyes and spots of flour on her face from the bread she was kneading. "We haven't had a proper party since Louise and Eddard's wedding!"

"Yes, and we could find good husbands there! Maybe even the prince," Lily giggled, giddy at the thought of gowns and dancing and princes. Her sister chimed in with promises to not ask for anything ever again for as long as they lived. "We'll never get a chance like this again!"

"Girls, I'll think about it, but I don't think we can afford it," their mother reasoned, immediately choking the girls' dizzy daydreams. Money had been tight since their father's death and though they managed they really couldn't be careless with what they had. Returning to her bread with a fading glow in her cheeks, Rose took comfort in her own decision that no matter how wonderful it would've been to dance with a prince in a palace it could never beat dancing under the stars in the forest.

* * *

In a different realm, far away from the unsuspecting inhabitants of the fairytale world, someone quite like them was going about their lives. These people carried the same faces as the beloved fairytale characters, but knew nothing of it. To them they were simply living their ordinary lives. Time stood still in the little town of Storybrooke. Nobody aged or moved, nobody died or were born. Until someone new moved in.

"Fred, I think there's a problem," Charlotte said as she entered her brother's room without knocking. It wasn't like the lack of a knock surprised the boy, his little sister usually didn't consider other people when doing what she wanted.

"Why?" The black-haired boy asked, looking up from his computer. Charlotte closed the door carefully before answering, making sure their parents wouldn't hear.

"There's a new girl in my class," she said quietly, keeping eye contact with her brother as she sat down on the bed. The meaning of the words slowly sank in for the blue-eyed boy. "Someone from the outside."

"But how is that even possible?" He wondered, looking to his sister as if she knew more than he did.

"How should I know?" She replied with annoyance. "All I know is that she didn't come over when we did."

"We have to go to Aislinn," Fred stated, a determined look on his face. His little sister's face twisted in disgust, but he stopped her by insisting it was the only way. "She's the only one who can help if it's something bad."

"I know," the young girl answered begrudgingly. "I just don't like her."

* * *

"A festival?"

"Yes."

"The prince?"

"Yes."

"To find a wife?"

"Yes, and everyone's invited so he can pick whichever girl in the land he wants," Rose beamed as she explained the affair to Monty, who seemed not only disinterested, but slightly disgusted at the concept. Though Rose didn't know if she could go, the prince's festival was still the talk of the town and she needed to share her enthusiasm with her oldest friend.

"Sounds really boring to me," he scoffed, discarding the straw he'd been fiddling with. "Seems to me that all the prince wants is a buffet of pretty girls to choose from. And, not that I don't believe in the nobility of our prince, but don't you think that it's a little bit of a lie? I mean, he probably won't even notice the poorer girls because they can't dress as nice. The richest girls will get all the attention with their fancy ballgowns and snobby dances. There's porbably not even going to be good food, it's all-"

"What's your problem?" Rose interrupted her childhood friend's rant. Her glowing smile had faded the moment he declared his disinterest. She pushed herself off the fence they'd been sitting on to look him in the eye. "Really, I can tell it's not the food that's bothering you."

"I just-," he began, but cut himself short, realizing that she knew him too well to let a blatant lie go unnoticed. "I just don't want to see you get hurt. With all the pretty gowns and noble women the prince won't look at poorer girls, that's just the truth of it. You and Lily just aren't-"

"What? Good enough for him?" Rose asked incredulously, disbelief written clearly across her pale face. "You think we're beneath him just because we've been raised diffrently?"

"You know that's not what I mean," Monty raised himself taller, trying to seem more sure of his words than he was. "I just don't want you to get your hopes up in case-"

"In case he thinks I'm a stupid farmer's daughter? If that's what you excpect he'll think then you can leave."

"Rosie, I don't think you're-"

"Please go," she replied, not looking at him. A cold edge had crept into her voice and stopped the hand he was about to put around her. After a beat he turned and left, leaving Rose feeling unsettled.

* * *

As usual the only bar in Storybrooke was full of people. It was really the only place for anyone to cut loose and have fun. It wasn't rare for someone underage to be caught by their parents who were supposedly going out to a restaurant for datenight. On this particular night there were no such incidents, but still plenty of drunk teenagers.

"Rose, I love you, but what the fuck is up with your shoes?" a very tipsy blonde asked her brunette friend. The other girl was wearing a tight red dress with lace and combat boots. The absurdity of the image seemed to confuse and anger her shorter friend.

"What, they're cute!" The brunette answered, her words slurred by the drinks she'd had. "Look at 'em, they're floral!"

"I don't care, they don't go with that dress," the busty blone beside her stated, taking another shot of whatever it was she had gotten her hands on.

"May is right," the third girl, another brunette, chimed in. The first brunette stuck her tongue out at the second one, but was obviously too far gone to actually care. "You're cute, Rose, but even you can't pull that off."

"Hey, creep alert," May whispered into Rose's ear, leaning in close and letting her alcohol-soaked breath hit the other girl's face. Luckily, Rose was too drunk to notice or care. "The guy beside Peter, he's been checking you out all night."

"Dude, so not creep alert," Rose said after taking a quick peek over her shoulder to check out her "admirer". The man was sitting on a bar stool with a glass of golden liquid, probably whiskey. He seemed tall, with broad shoulders and a strong jaw. His tousled brown hair and half-buttoned henley gave the impression he'd just gotten out of bed. May had been right, he was looking at Rose and hadn't moved his eyes when she turned to him. "He's not a creep if he's hot."

"Slut," May replied, leaning in to give her friend a big sloppy kiss on the mouth.

"Okay, if you two are going to make-out all night like last time then I'm out of here!" The third girl said quickly.

"Chill, Char, it was just a kiss," May rolled her eyes at their friend.

"Two," Rose giggled as she stole a peck from her blonde friend.

"Sorry, Rose, but you're not who I plan on spending my night with," May said as she pulled away from the brunette, slapping her ass on her way away from the other two. "I'll see you girls in the morning."

"Think she's going to sleep at your place, or Cyrus'?"

"Twenty bucks says mine," Rose quickly bet.

"Nah, I'm not betting against you," Charlotte declined. "He's not one for pillowtalk."

"Neither is she."

* * *

"I'm sorry mother won't let both of us go," Lily whispered to her sister as they lay in their shared bed that night. Their mother had told them that the money they had would only allow one of them to go and decided that Lily should be the one because she was the oldest. "It really won't be the same without you."

"It's alright," Rose shrugged, feeling the last of her tears dry on her cheeks. After her conversation with Monty she had lost most of the fire the thought of a festival had lit in her. "I never really thought the prince was so handsome anyway."

"Of course you didn't," Lily laughed, wrapping an arm around her little sister and pulling her close. "Besides you already have Monty. Maybe the two of you could go to the meadow and dance all night."

"I doubt he'd like that idea," Rose said, leaving her sister to wonder about the bleak reply. "He doesn't like going near the forest at night. It's like he thinks the beast will wander closer to the village when it's dark. As if it cares about the time of day. Monty doesn't even dance anyway."

"I'm sure he'd dance for you," Lily tried, brushing a stray hair from her sister's forehead. "If you asked him to."

"Yes, but I don't know if I want him to if he only does it to please me."

"He tries, at least." Lily offered, her voice muffled by a yawn.

"Yes, he does."

* * *

 _In the quiet midnight the moon hung lazily over the lake, admiring her own reflection. The wind rushed through silvery leaves and seemed to linger around a lone figure underneath a weeping willow. She stared blankly out at the water, but defiance was clear in her body, cradled against the tree's trunk._

" _Princess, I've brought you water," a dark-haired girl said as she emerged from the trees carrying a big jug filled to the brim with water. The other girl didn't even look at her, but kept her eyes fixed on the moon's reflection on the lake. The moonlight stole the gold from her hair, leaving it pale and colorless. The dark circles under the princess' eyes made her seem older than her sixteen winters, yet somehow ageless under the light of the waning moon. "Please, princess, you need to drink."_

" _What do you care?" The blonde finally turned her cold stare to the other girl. Though the dark-haired girl was used to cold stares, the intensity of the younger girls' blue eyes sent a shiver down her spine and froze her blood. Somehow the princess' beauty made her apparent hatred harder to bear._

" _I'll just leave this here," the darker girl muttered as she placed the jug by the tree's roots and scurried off into the forest, leaving the captive princess to go back to her brooding._

* * *

The last warm breeze of summer ruffled Rose's hair as she took a deep breath and stepped in between the trees. She swallowed her fears as the tall shapes engulfed her, blocking out most of the early autumn sun. Though the time of summer was past, the flowers of spring still bloomed in the meadow and sent sweet scents with her into the forest. Her heartbeat was embarrasingly loud to her, as if she was doing something dangerous and unlawful. She told herself that going into the woods wasn't against the law, it was simply against every warning she had ever recieved in the last decade.

Walking with light steps down the path Rose felt the warm air fill her lungs and the wind caressed her skin and played with her crimson cloak. With her cheeks flushed and her hair messed up from the wind Rose felt as though she had been locked up in a cage and were finally free from all chains and bars.

To her it only seemed like she had walked for a minute when she reached the clearing where they held the festival when she was a child. Just seeing it for the first time in so many years sent memories rushing to her and she swore she could hear faint children's laughter, the ghost of her childhood. She ignored the chill seeing the field abandoned sent down her spine and forced herself to tear away from the sight to continue down the path toward a small meadow just beyond. The meadow was her true destination, because she knew there grew flowers in that meadow too stubborn to let the chill of autumn get them just yet.

The sight of it nearly took her breath away. Though Monty claimed there wasn't too much of a difference between the flowers in their own meadow outside the forest and the ones from the fields they'd known as children, Rose once again realized just how different the two of them were. Outside the forest the flowers bloomed white and yellow in the green grass. Here there were flowers of every color. There were the familiar white and yellow ones, but also red ones, blue ones and a myriad flowers in every shade of pink and purple. The wind ran through the field and blew the scents of the meadow towards her, mixing it with the smell of the evergreens. Every scent was familiar to her, just the way they'd been when she was a child.

Grinning widely she stepped into the field and sat down among the flowers. Almost as if in a dream her hands reached out and picked a few of them. Up close their smells were even more tantalizing than they'd been from afar. The colors were more vibrant and they seemed to beg her to weave them together. She did, taking her time in making sure each flower found it's rightful place among the others.

She had no idea of how long she'd been sitting in the meadow weaving flower crowns when she suddenly became conscious of a pair of eyes on her. At first she thought it was nothing, some little bird perhaps or a squirrel that had come, like her, to enjoy the flowers' company. When she looked up to the trees on the opposite side from the path she'd come from her entire body froze and she was all of a sudden aware of the chill the autumn wind had brought with it. On the other end of the meadow, just behind the tree line, stood the beast. It was taller than she had imagined, even lying down it probably reached her hip. It's powerful body was covered in fur as white as snow, a stark contrast to the brown bark of the trees surrounding it. The eyes of the beast looked at her with cool interest, most likely considering how it would eat her. Yet the animal didn't seem ready to pounce just yet, it was lying perfectly still, observing her. Rose herself was also perfectly still, the shock of seeing the fabled beast of the forest with her own eyes no further away than she could throw a rock, left her unable to move a muscle.

Despite the obvious danger of the situation Rose didn't feel fear. She stared into the great beast's eyes and held it's gaze. Through her shock and the terrible realization that this could be her death, all Rose could think was how fitting a death it would be for her. She had always longed to go back into the forest and see the flowers and now she had. In spite of everyone's strict advice against going into the woods alone she had and now her death could serve as a warning to any other stubborn youth who dared to disobey.

The animal's ears perked up and in one swift movement he was on his feet. Rose closed her eyes, sure that the beast had finally decided how it would devour her and took what she was certain was her last breath.

 _"I'm going to get you!"_

 _The joyous squeal of a child filled the clearing as a brunette girl ran across it, flowers falling from her hair. Her small feet stomped the earth, crushing many flowers that grew in her way._

" _And I'll eat you up, nice and tender as you are!"_

 _The child emitted another scream that turned to a giggle as two strong hands scooped her up and into a warm embrace. The man pressed his lips to her throat and blew hard, causing another fit of hysteric giggles to erupt from the little girl._

" _Papa, it tickles!" She exclaimed, one small hand feebly pushing at the man's face. He lifted her up high and for a moment her little form stilled as she took in the view of the meadow surrounded by trees. A small gasp escaped her lips. "I'm flying!"_

 _The realization of her sudden height caused the little girl to kick her legs out, throwing the man off balance and sending them both falling to the ground in a fit of laughter. Lying there panting with her head on her father's arm as they recovered from their fall and subsequent laughter, would always remain one of the clearest and dearest memories the girl had of her father. The setting sun dying both of their dark heads red, hers with a few stubborn flowers still tucked into the two tied-back strands._

" _Love you, Papa."_

" _I love you too, Rose."_

"Rose!" The sound of her name jerked her away from her selfinduced reverie and back to reality where she was sitting with a dozen flower crowns around her and an unfinished one in her hands. Just as she realized where she was she felt strong arms wrap around her and she was surrounded by Monty's easily recognizable smell of sweat and sheep's wool. "Are you okay? I've looked everywhere for you!"

"I'm fine, I was just-" Rose began, but let the sentence hang in midair as she turned her eyes to the place where the beast had stood mere moments before. Her brow furrowed as she saw nothing but trees where the great white wolf had been. "I was just picking flowers for my crowns. I'm going to sell them at the fair. So Lily can go to the festival."

"Rosie, you sound delirious, are you sure you're okay?" Monty asked, placing a hand to her forehead to check for a fever.

"I'm fine, Monty, I just wanted to get the flowers."

"Come on, let's get you home, it's freezing," he said, helping her unnecessarily to her feet. He gathered up the crowns and put an arm around her. It wasn't before they were well out of the woods that Rose noticed that the sky had darkened and the first few stars were beginning to peek out at them.

* * *

 _When the dark-haired girl returned the next morning with some bread and a new jug of water she found the old one exactly where she had left it, still full. She felt a pang of guilt as she saw the white swan circling the lake aimlessly. Not only did the princess seem unhappy swimming in the small lake, but the fire that had kept her kicking and screaming as the sorcerer cursed her seemed to have simmered down, leaving her apathetic and defeated. It was a painful sight, seeing someone so young and previosuly filled with life turn so cold and numb so fast. The dark-haired girl much prefered the freezing fire and defiance of their last encounter._

" _I brought some more water," she called out to the swan, it's head perking up slowly. It felt silly to talk to the animal, but she was sure the princess could still understand. "And some bread, you must be hungry."_

 _Ripping the bread into smaller pieces and throwing them into the water for the princess felt like mocking her. That girl had probably never had something as bland and tasteless as mere bread served to her, let alone thrown in a lake for her to eat. When the entire loaf was gone and the swan stayed stoically in the middle of the lake, the girl took the old waterjug with her and left the princess without another word._

* * *

"Girls, I need to go to your grandmother's with some bread," Rose and Lily's mother told them over breakfast the next morning. Her red hair was tied back in a tight bun and though she had once been as beautiful as her daughters were now, she looked worn. She had aged much since their father's death mere years prior. "There are a few things we'll need at the fair, but I'll try to be back by then."

"If you need to be at the fair I could go to granny," Rose suggested, noticably perking up at the chance to see the old lady. "I don't need to be at the fair, Lily can sell the crowns for me."

"Rose, I really don't want you to go just because-"

"No, it's alright, I really just want to see grandma." The older woman scanned her daughter's face for any trace of insincerity. After the debacle where she went into the woods withouth telling anyone and with nothing to protect herself with, Rose's mother had grown more protective of her youngest. Though Rose had admitted to entering the woods to get flowers for crowns to sell, she hadn't told anyone about her encounter with the wolf.

"Fine," her mother finally sighed, causing a wide smile the spread across Rose's face. Before the young girl could get too ahead of herself the older woman added some terms with the stern protectiveness only a mother could muster. "But you have to promise to stay on the path. And no talking with strangers, even if they're just nice travellers, you hear me?"

"Yes, mother, I promise," Rose replied eagerly and as the young girl darted out of the room to get her cloak and a basket for the bread, her mother had a sinking feeling that her advice was taken all too lightly.

* * *

 _Every night the dark-haired girl kept returning with water and bread for the princess and every night the princess refused. It was growing rather tiresome and the princess showed obvious signs of fatigue and dehydration. The circles under her blue eyes had grown darker, more purple now than blue. Her curls fell limply against her shoulders. Her fire had turned to ashes and the ashes were blowing away with the soft summer wind. If she kept it up she would not live to see another spring._

" _What is your name?" the princess asked hoarsely, her throat dry from limited use and lack of water. At first the other girl didn't catch the question, being too surprised at the lack of animosity in the princess' tone._

" _Nisha, princess," she replied, seeing the ghost of a smile on the princess' lips. "And yours is Luciana."_

" _Lucy," the princess corrected quietly, her eyes falling back to the moon's reflection. Nisha thought that the princess must know every crack and peak in the moon's face by now. "You can call me Lucy."_

" _Alright, princess Lucy."_

" _No," the blonde said, her voice a little stronger now. "If yours is the last friendly voice I hear I just want you to call me Lucy."_

" _Alright," Nisha hesitated before adding; "Lucy."_

 _Nisha wasn't sure, but there seemed to be a new glow in the princess' eyes and the promise of a smile pulled at the corners of her mouth._

* * *

The trek through the forest to her grandmother's house was shorter than Rose remembered from the times she'd gone as a child. Perhaps it was her legs being longer now or perhaps her longing to stay in the forest for as long as possible. The trees seemed to welcome her back like an old friend when she stepped among them. Though her encounter with the beast still haunted her dreams she wasn't frightened of meeting him again. Though she wouldn't admit it to anyone she could feel in the deepest, most hidden part of her heart a desire to see him again. There had been something intriguing about seeing such an animal up close, and the certainty that he could've killed her right there only made her feel more alive when he didn't. She wondered what the white fur would've felt like to the touch and if the muscles underneath were as powerful as they seemed.

Except for a quick trip into the meadow to gather flowers for her grandmother and if she had dared admit it, look for the beast, she stayed true to her promise of staying on the path. Before she expected she saw her grandmother's familiar little house standing among the trees. The brown roof and pale walls met her with the little garden of flowers and plants in front like a welcoming comittee. She shifted her pace to a run as her grandmother opened the door to welcome her in. Rose crashed into her grandmother's open arms.

"Oh, there you are, my dear!" The old woman said, ushering the girl into her house and closing the door behind them. Though Rose remained oblivious the older woman had seen the great white beast hovering under the trees behind the young girl and though she did not fear the beast, she would not invite him in for tea.

* * *

 _The first rays of the sun danced off the lake's surface, painting everything in red and gold. One golden ray illuminated Nisha's face, softly waking her. She hadn't meant to fall asleep by the lake that night, but at some point she had slipped away, leaning aganst a tree trunk. Squinting against the early morning light she saw a lone white figure out on the lake, the princess swimming slowly. In the light of the rising sun the swan looked regal, the returned image of her former glory. Her head was raised and there seemed a new flame was rising from the ashes of her defiance._

 _When Nisha looked in the jug she found it empty and a proud grin spread across her face._

* * *

The midday sun shone in straight through Rose's window and aimed it's deathly bright rays at the sleeping forms on the bed. The lumps were tangled together as if they were trying to pass for one being. The room smelled of sex, vomit and sleep. It had clearly been a rough night for all involved. The biggest form on the bed moved slightly, trying to get out of the light's way. Moving proved futile as she was sandwhiched between two other girls, both of whom were blissfully unconcious.

"Guys, wake up, it's morning," Rose mumbled as she pushed feebly against the blonde in front of her with her free arm. Her right arm was occupied by the brunette on her other side who had decided to use it as a pillow. The blonde had her back to her and groaned soundly when pushed.

"When did you even get here?" Rose squinted at the blonde next to her as she tried to shake the girl awake, but only getting grunts in reply. Though Rose was vaguely aware of smelling pretty bad herself, the girl next to her positively reeked. "Jesus, where did you go last night?"

"Back to Cyrus' place," May mumbled against the her pillow as she turned her head toward the brunette, rubbing leftover mascara around her eyes with her fist. The blonde had obviously not bothered with taking off her makeup the night before and she hadn't brushed her teeth either by the smell of her. At the third friend's audible huff she mumbled an aggressive, though only vaguely threatening; "I heard that!"

"That was the point," the girl who had previously used Rose's arm for a pillow pushed her body up, freeing Rose's arm. Though she did look like she'd had a rough night, she was definitely the least stinky of the trio.

"Get up, you stink," the brunette leaning over Rose to push May. The blonde waved her friend's arm away and ran the hand through her hair on the ay down again, getting it stuck in a tangle.

"What did you do last night anyway? Did you get some with creeper guy?" She asked, sitting up and looking down at the brunette in the middle.

"He was not a creeper! He was totally hot!"

"Sure, Jan."

"Shut up!" Rose exclaimed, hitting her suddenly perkier friend with her pillow. "Char, back me up on this!"

"And miss a good catfight? No way!" Charlotte said before rolling out of bed and stretching. Though she turned her back to the two other girls to change she listened closesly, not wanting to miss any juicy details.

"Seriously though, Rose," May prompted the younger girl. "He obviously had the hots for you and you won't stop insisting he's hot-"

"He is!"

"Whatever," May kept going. "But did you do him?"

"Yes, I did," Rose admitted, a slight blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Told you you're a slut," May smirked, ignoring the slap on the arm that she recieved. "I'm just kidding. But it's good for you, you big slut."

"You're really mean, you know that?"

"Yes, but it's all out of _love_ ," May said, touching her hand to her heart, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Besides, who would keep you baby sluts in check if you didn't have a mama slut to look up to?"

* * *

"Grandma, have you ever seen the beast?" Rose asked quietly looking up at her grandmother from behind her teacup. Rose sat curled up in one of her grandmother's rockingchairs with a shawl threwn over her lap for warmth. The old woman stopped for a moment by the window, pausing to look out of it. When she moved again she drew the curtains shut and brought the teakettle over to the little table and sat down in the other rockingchair.

"My dear, why do you ask?"

"I just," Rose began, unsure of how to put it. Her throat felt dry and a small voice told her that she shouldn't tell anyone about her meeting with the beast if she ever wished to see him again. Another voice told her that if she wanted to live after her next meeting she might need to know more about him. "I saw him, out in the woods the other day. He didn't do anything, he just looked at me and it got me thinking that maybe he's not as bad as everyone thinks."

"Rose, darling, I admire your compassion," her grandmother started, but it was clear from her tone that she wasn't pleased with Rose's sympathy for the beast. "But you need to know that the wolf is no more a puppy than I am a princess. I have seen him, my dear, lurking in the shadows and I've heard him howl at the moon. I've seen brave men go after him with swords and all the courage of an entire army and I've seen the survivors cowering in the corners with blood on their faces, shying away from even the smallest shadow. The luckiest who meet him are the ones that die first and quickly for they needn't see their companions be torn apart like men made of straw, thrown about like a child's toy."

"Grandma, you're scaring me!"

"Good, that means there's hope for you yet!" the old woman leaned back into her chair, taking a long sip of her tea. "Yes, Rose, I admire your compassion, but if you are not weary of the wolf he could well be your doom."

That night Rose hardly slept, for dreams of madmen cowering in corners with visions of dead companions haunted her dreams and in waking she could only listen for the sound of a wolf's howl over the whispers of the wind.

* * *

AN: Thank you for reading, I really hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think, all opinions are welcome! Any suggestions for fairytales that should be added to the mix? Suggest away!

The link to the tumblr is on my profile. The form for OC submission is also on my profile.


	2. The Sister

"No destiny attacks us from outside. But, within him, man bears his fate and there comes a moment when he knows himself vulnerable; and then, as in a vertigo, blunder upon blunder lures him."

\- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

* * *

Snowflakes fell hard and heavy, clouding the air and turning everything white. Every sensible animal had fled from the storm and humans cowered in their homes. All except one. A young woman in a crimson cloak struggled to hold up against the strong northern wind. Surrounded by white snow and the black trunks of trees the her red cloak seemed a bleeding wound in the otherwise colorless forest.

The wind blew hot tears from her eyes and let them freeze on her cheeks as she struggled to move forward. The light flakes that had caressed her cheek mere hours before, now whipped against her skin stinging it and leaving her cheeks and nose red from the cold. One hand gripped tight on her basket, leaving her knuckles white with strain while the other hand feebly searched for the trunk of a nearby tree to offer some shelter from the wind and the snow. Finally feeling the rough surface against her numb palm she wrapped her arms around the tree for comfort. Violent shivers ran through her body, shaking her and keeping her awake. Her eyes threatened to slip closed, leaving her unconscious. She knew that if she let herself slip away she might never wake. Cursing herself for thinking she could make it before the storm could catch up with her, she almost laughed. Her mother had always said that her stubborness would be her death. Her grandmother's claim that the wolf would be her death seemed distant and foolish at this point. No wolves were needed for her demise, she could find it all on her own.

* * *

 _8 weeks earlier_

On her way back from her grandmother's house Rose couldn't help but jump at every sound she heard. She walked faster than she ever had through the forest and swore she could hear footsteps behind her, but didn't dare turn to check. She kept her eyes fixed on the path, for once doing as her mother had told her and not straying. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears and raced in time with her feet.

She could swear her heart skipped multiple beats as two figures came into view further down the path. For one terrifying moment she thought one of them was the wolf, but looking again they were both distinctly human. The figures wore dark hoods and seemed to be in a bit of a hurry, not wanting to be seen. The one closest to her was shorter than the other one, even shorter than Rose herself. Long, golden hair peeked out from under her dark green hood and a bow with a quiver were slung over her back. The other figure was taller and clearly male judging by the broad shoulders. When Rose's eyes meet the blue eyes under the girl's green cloak as they passed she had a expected a mutual smile for the one she sent the other girl, but only a scowl graced the blonde's face. Rose's own face must have fallen because the man behind the blonde, sent her an apologetic smile from under his hood.

Hardly troubled by the pair of strangers Rose kept on her way, somehow feeling slightly safer at the sight of two other humans. As if the fact that they hadn't been killed on stretch from the village and into the woods would somehow keep her safe.

* * *

The darkhaired girl had returned to the woods. Amidst the trees on either side of the path her red cloak stood out like a wound among the bleak browns and dying oranges of autumn. He rested on the pines underneath a great tree when he saw her coming down the path. He had smelled her before he saw her and the smell had lit a strange anticipation in him. As she came closer new details revealed themselves to him, like a present unwrapping itself. Her thick hair spilled out of her hood, raven against the bloody red of her cloak. A white face framed by black curls. Her earthy smell of cloves and sweet scent of roses drifted to him, mixing on the way with the smell of wet earth and pinetrees. Her cheeks were flushed red from the cold. Her eyes, too dark for her pallor, endlessly searched for something among the tall trees. Frosted breath from full red lips.

Her frailty was temptingly apparent. Big, trusting eyes, even when full of doubt. She hadn't tried to run when she saw him in the meadow, but had stared back at him, wide-eyed and still like a deer. Sitting among the flowers she had looked more like a rabbit than a deer, but a rabbit would have escaped his claws by jumping quickly into a hole in the ground. Even the wild animals of the forest had the instinct to run or hide when they saw a beast, but the dark-eyed girl had stayed her ground, like the lamb who willingly follows the butcher.

Other smells mixed with the girl's smell of roses and cloves, disturbing his moment of contemplation. Underneath the approaching smell of dirt and sweat there were undertones of oranges and lavender, not the familiar smells of apples and freshly baked goods that the villagers usually brought with them whenever they dared venture into the woods. Foreigners. Their cloaks were muddy and torn at the edges, obviously well-worn and likely the only ones the pair had. Something about their lowered heads and determined strides gave him an unsettling feeling, urging him to follow them and have closer look at their affairs. Soundless the wolf stood and left on light feet after the pair of strangers.

* * *

"Hi, you're Rachel, right?" Fred stated more than asked as he jumped unto the stool next to the shorthaired brunette. Her hands were around a cup of hot cocoa and her oversized sweater didn't quite fit in with the other café costumers' shorts and t-shirts. "I'm Fred, Charlotte's brother."

"Hi," the girl said, shaking Fred's hand with a slightly awkward smile. Her hand quickly returned to her cup and her eyes followed it, careful not to linger on the boy.

"Are you cold?" He asked, with amusement creeping into his voice. The tan girl looked over at him with the tiniest of nods. "How? It's like superwarm outside."

"For this place maybe," the girl replied, taking a sip of her cocoa, leaving a thin strip of cream on her upperlip and wiping it away with the sleeve of her sweater. "I'm from Florida, this is what it's like on a cold day."

"Ah, I see," he said, keeping his eyes focused on the girl. She was very pretty, with dark wavy hair and soft features. There was something slightly Asian about her. "So, Florida. Exactly where in Florida? I mean, it is the regular Florida, right? Not some other-"

"Fred!" A shrill girl's voice pierced the air of the café, stopping the dark-haired boy midsentence. Walking as quickly as her heels would allow, Charlotte strutted over to her brother and the girl at the bar. "I need to borrow you for a second."

"Now? Can't it-"

"Now." The finality was not to be discussed as Charlotte pulled her brother down from the stool and over to a desolute corner of the café, only throwing a quick smile over her shoulder to Rachel. He looked quite bewildered at the short fashionista in front of him. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm trying to figure out where she's from, if she's from the _other place_ ," Fred stated, as if it was obvious. "We need to figure out how much she knows before we go to Aislinn. I don't want to spook her if it's nothing."

"Well now Rachel thinks you're racist," Charlotte replied pointedly. "Seriously, Fred, you can't ask a person of color where they're really from."

"I did not think about that," Fred said blankly, the duality of his question suddenly hitting him.

"Look, it doesn't even matter," Charlotte said, brushing it off with a hand movement. "I'm going to go talk to her and figure it out, _without_ the racist remarks."

"I'm not racist, it just came out wrong!" Fred defended in an intense whisper. His little sister didn't even listen, she had already turned around and was walking towards the place where Rachel had been sitting, but found the stool empty, an abandonned cup of cocoa left on the counter.

"Damn it."

* * *

 _"Lucy?" Nisha asked, looking over at the girl sitting beside her. The two leaned against the same tree now, the moonlight shining in between the branches, leaving dark spots on the faces. Lucy's gaze was glued to the lake's clear surface as usual and she only made a small sound to let Nisha know that she was listening. "Do you ever miss your family?"_

 _"Yes," Lucy breathed, all her longing making her voice crack slightly. Still she kept her eyes on the moon's reflection. "More than anything. Not just my father either, I miss everyone at court. I miss the fat old cook who always gave me treats if I stopped by the kitchens. And I miss the stable boys who taught me how to ride before my father would let me near the horses. They'd take me out into the garden and put me up on the horse and just walk around with me. I used to love that. And I miss Nana, she was my babysitter and nurse. She was always so good to me, she'd always get me ready for balls and she'd help me with my studies. She was really closest thing I've had to a mother."_

 _At some point during her reminiscing tears had started to fall from Lucy's eyes and her breathing became slightly labored. Something in Nisha started when she saw the other girl's tearful face and she took her hand without thinking. Nisha found herself without breath as she waited for the other girl to pull away. Lucy didn't, she simply squeezed in return._

 _"But most of all I miss my father," Lucy said, taking a deep breath. "It isn't easy for him. My mother died when I was just a baby, so he's always been alone with me. He's had help, but it's been hard for him because I look so much like her."_

 _Nisha didn't dare to say anything, this was the first time Lucy had opened up to her and she didn't want to stop the other girl from talking._

 _"This is all I have of her," Lucy said, pulling a golden locket from inside her thin shirt. Nisha's heart sank as she saw the engraved swan on the front of the locket, she knew that Rothbart had changed his mind about what to do with Lucy at the last minute. Now she understood why. "Father said it belong to his mother, but she gave it to mine when they got married. It was to be an heirloom he said, forever passed down to the next princess. Shame to think it'll stop now."_

 _"Don't say that, Lucy!" Nisha insisted, gripping the other girl's hand tighter. "I don't believe that your father has given up finding you and I bet half the kingdom is out looking for you too. Your prince will come, you'll see."_

 _"I do hope you're right," Lucy said and leaned her head against the other girl's tan shoulder. Timidly, Nisha leaned her head against Lucy's, softly breathing in the salty smell of her hair._

 _"Getting cozy, are we?" A cold deep voice broke through Nisha's calm, sending a shiver down her spine. She turned her head quickly, scanning the area for the man it belonged to. She didn't see him until he stepped out from behind the trees, his black cape made him blend in with his surroundings. "Don't get any ideas now, you know this little romance of yours will never work out."_

 _"I don't know what you're talking about," Nisha spat out the words, throwing a concerned glance at Lucy's still form._

 _"Don't worry about her, she'll sleep until I'm gone," Rothbart said carelessly, stepping closer to the pair under the tree. His lazy walk reminded Nisha of the tigers in her homeland; delibaretly slow, but threatening. He kneeled by Lucy, grabbing a lock of her golden hair and held it to his face. Nisha felt her own features twist in disgust. "Relax, I won't do anything to her."_

 _"Then keep your filthy paws off her!" Nisha snapped without thinking. Lighteningfast Rothbart gripped hold of her face, pushing her cheeks against her teeth with two fingers holding her jaw closed._

 _"Careful, Nisha," his pale blue eyes were locked with hers. "Remember our deal."_

 _He let go and was five paces away from her within seconds, his long cape flowing behind him. Nisha was surprised to find herself out of breath, but she had found that her lungs refused her a full supply of air whenever Rothbart was close._

 _"The prince will come soon," he threw the remark over his shoulder to her. "You know what to do."_

 _Nisha watched through tearfilled eyes as his black cape disappeared in between the trees. Lucy still slept soundly against her shoulder, completely ignorant of the devil who had visited her._

* * *

"Did you see the prince?" The question had left Rose's lips before her sister had even entered their room. The older girl burst out laughing at her little sister sitting upright in bed, clearly not having slept a wink. "Was he a very nice prince? Was he tall? Very tall? Were his eyes clear and blue? Was he-"

"Shush with you, I haven't even taken my shoes off yet," Lily scolded, but she couldn't shake off her laughter or the beaming grin that seemed to take up her entire face. One needn't hear a word to know that she had had fun.

"You did, I can tell you did!"

"Yes, I did," Lily said, still grinning. "But only hardly, he spent his entire night dancing with this one girl."

"Just one? Wasn't the point to dance with everyone and find the one he liked the best so he-"

"Do you want to tell me what happened, or should I tell you?"

"Yes, please tell!" Rose begged, grabbing hold of her sister's hand and pulling her down unto the bed. The younger girl's eyes were wide like a child's, anticipation making her eyes shine. "What was it like?"

"It was like magic," Lily sighed, moving to sit against the headboard. Her beautiful gown looked out of place in their humble little bedroom and Lily almost laughed at the difference between the gown she was wearing and the night gown she would put on after telling Rose about her night. As she began telling her sister, who laid her head on Lily's shoulder, all about her night she felt as if the walls of their little cottage melted away and she was back at the bell.

 _The prince's palace was unlike anything Lily had ever seen. She had no words to describe the outside or halls she followed the other new arrivals through, but reaching the main ballroom truly took her breath away. The pillars that held the ceiling seemed to stretch further up than the sky, the painted clouds and birds fullfilling the illusion. The pillars were white marble with silver bases and the polished floor reflected the sky above like the ocean reflects the true heaven. The walls, where she could see them between paintings, tapestries and the crowd, were white with intricate patterns of blue and gold. The flowing music swept the dancers across the grand floor as if they were flowers afloat on the waves of a small pond. Never had she seen so many pretty gowns or so many people in one place. Her heartbeat sped up at the thought of a prince being in such close vicinity._

 _A dark-skinned girl who had arrived in a beautiful silver carriage pulled by six pure white horses at around the same time as Lily's much less extravagant carriage, stood next to her and looked as struck by the beauty of it all as Lily felt. Lily did find it somewhat queer, considering the girl's means of arrival and her beautifully embellished figured the younger girl must be accustomed to such events and yet the girl's dark eyes widened noticably in wonder at all the beauty and riches around her._

 _"It's beautiful," Lily said in wonder, taking it all in and trying to remember all the details so she could do it justice when explaining it to Rose. How she wished Rose could've been there._

 _"Yes," the little girl beside her breathed in reply, her dazzled smile widening. "I've never been to a ball like this."_

 _"Never?" Lily asked, tearing her eyes away from the wonderful sights around her to give her companion a surprised look. The dark-skinned girl looked back at her with sincerity and confusion written on her sweet face. "I just assumed that because of your gown and your carriage you had been to many balls. I apologize, I must seem quite judgemental."_

 _"It's nothing to apologize for," the young girl replied a little to quickly, glancing down at her gown. "I suppose the gown is a little much."_

 _"No, it's lovely!" Lily quickly replied, and it was. The gown was snowy white, embellished with golden flowers on the bodice and the bottom of the skirt. The four thin straps were woven from the finest strands of gold and all the gown seemed to sparkle and gleam, like it had been made of golden sunlight on white snow. It almost made Lily shameful of her own simple blue dress whose skirt would not even fill half of the other girl's. "Truly the most splendid gown I've seen!"_

 _"Thank you," the girl said, blushing as her eyes wandered towards the crowd of dancers. A nervous yet hopeful smiled fleeted across her lips. "Do you dance well?"_

 _"Not exceedingly, no," Lily admitted, reciprocating the nervous smile. The truth was that Lily could've been an excellent dancer, she had always had a talent for it, but she had never recieved proper lessons. The only dance partners she ever had were the dirty farmer's sons or Rose, but Rose never wanted to dance the slow dances. Rose only ever danced to the free and wild rythms of foreigners' music under the stars or among the wildflowers._

 _"Teach me?" The smaller girl's questions took Lily aback, but before her sense could tell her to decline, some other part of her had answered yes and taken the darker girl's hand. Perhaps it was the excitement of the ball, the fright of having her first dance at the ball be with some strange man or the girl's dark eyes reminding her too much of her little sister's, but Lily soon found herself with one hand on the little girl's waist and the other firmly gripping the other girl's delicate hand._

"Did you spend all night dancing with a girl?" Rose asked, lifting her head from her sister's shoulder to look at her. "That's what you went to the prince's ball for? Because if you really want to dance with a girl I would be more than willing."

"You? You don't like the slow dances," Lily laughed.

"No, but you shouldn't have to go to a ball to dance with a girl," Rose muttered, settling back against her sister's shoulder.

"I shouldn't, but I didn't _just_ dance with her either."

 _"Yes, that's it!" Lily smiled as she twirled the younger girl around, sending the many layers of her skirt flying a beat behind. Their laughter sounded like bells above the sound of the soft music. Slightly out of breath Lily was suddenly aware that she didn't know the other girl's name. "I'm Lily."_

 _"I'm Ella," the other girl answered answered after a moment's hesitation. Her eyes, that had previously fleeted around the room, taking it all in, suddenly fixed on something on the well behind Lily and excitement tinged with panic spread across her face. "Don't look, but there are two guys looking at you and they're coming this way."_

"So you did dance with a man?" Rose lifted her head again, this time with a bright smile.

"Yes, I did. Now can I tell you more, or do you want to take over?"

"No, just keep going."

 _"May we cut in?" One of the men asked as they two reached the girls, the other extending a hand to Ella, who took it breathlessly. Both men were very handsome and both were tall and dark. The one who had taken Ella's hand was lighter skinned and looked more like the boys from her village. The other one, the taller one who had spoken, had a darker complexion and dark comed back curls. He looked more like a prince from a distant land than one of the bleak lords of the area. With a nod to his friend the shorter one guided Ella to a new spot on the dancefloor. The other young man took Lily's pale hand in his tan one and pulled her closer. Her heart sped up at his firm grip on her hand and waist, but given that her previous dancepartners had been girls or little boys it shouldn't have surprised her that a man's hands would hold her differently. The man danced quite well, though his eyes seemed glued to the floor as if his own shoes were the most fascinating thing in the world to him._

 _"Is this a new dance to you?" She dared ask after minutes of silence, with Lily looking at her companion staring intently at the floor. When she adressed him his eyes shot up, meeting hers and he fell completely out of the rythm of the music. When his eyes met hers she saw they were darker than her own and a cooler shade._

 _"I'm sorry, what?" The man's blank expression reminded her of a sleepy child. She hadn't quite noticed his accent the first time he spoke, but it was apparent to her now, confirming her suspicion that he wasn't from the kingdom. A few of his perfectly combed curls had fallen down on his forehead and left him looking slightly less like the dreamy foreign prince she'd imagined him to be at first. At this point he looked more like a lost boy than anything._

 _"This dance, is it new to you?"_

 _"Oh, yes," the man flashed her a bright smile, revealing slightly crooked teeth. "We have different dances where I'm from. They're a lot less strict than these."_

 _"Really, where are you from?"_

 _"The southern isles," the boy answered quickly. "Do forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Prince Ali of the Southern isles."_

"So you danced with the prince, you liar!" Rose exclaimed and tickled her sister mercilessly.

"Not _the_ prince, I danced with a different prince," Lily defended herself as she grabbed hold of her little sister's hands. "Now stop interrupting me!"

 _"Oh, your highness! My names is Lily, and I-" Lily exclaimed, breaking away from the man to curtsie. He blushed and quickly pulled her back into the dance, obviously uncomfortable with the staring eyes of the other dancers who had looked over at Lily's sudden submission. "I apologize for what I said about your dancing, you really are quite-"_

 _"There's no need to apologize," the man quieted her, with a look over his shoulder at the other dancers. "I'm not a very good dancer."_

 _"I think your dancing's just fine," Lily said, looking up at him with big brown eyes. He held her gaze for a few seconds, but something made him tear his eyes away._

 _"Lily, I don't want you to get the wrong idea here," Ali said, meeting her gaze again. "You seem very sweet and you are very beautiful, but I'm not here for a wife. My friend, the Prince, he asked me to dance with you so he could dance with that other girl. What's her name?"_

 _"Her name's Ella," Lily replied sweetly, only slightly let down by the prince's words. She hadn't really expected much from him, especially not after learning that he was royalty. Her eyes followed Ali's gaze to where the Prince and Ella were dancing. The little girl had one of the brightest smiles Lily had ever seen and both Ella and the Prince were laughing together. "And I understand that you didn't come for a wife. I didn't really come for a husband either, just for the fun of a ball."_

 _"Then you should come to a ball in my country, we have the most exquisite parties," Ali boasted, a proud smile making it's way across his face. "There's music like none you've ever heard, and wine and fruit and elephants! You've never lived until you've seen an elephant fly!"_

 _"They fly? Are you serious?" Lily had heard of elephants before, but she hadn't even been sure they existed, much less that they could fly. Ali went on to tell her all about his home on the southern isles, where there lived birds of every color and the sun shone everyday. He talked and she listened and then she told him about her home in the village and the beast in the forest. They laughed together and at the end of the night he promised to send one of his colorful birds to her with a letter, if she promised to write back to him. She did and they parted as good friends._

When Lily finished telling Rose about the prince's ball she had excepted to be bombarded with more questions given that the young girl had hardly kept her mouth shut while Lily talked, but instead she was met with silence. Glancing down at the other girl she found that her little sister had dozed off, probably exhausted from a long day. Lily hadn't even seen her sister after she left for their grandmother's more than a week earlier. Though Rose had promised to be back early, she had ended up prolonging her stay at their grandmother's. Given Rose's love for the old lady it wasn't a surprise.

Carefully peeling herself away from her sleeping sister she placed the other girl's head gently on the pillow and changed into her simple night gown. With a soft smile she felt the smooth fabric of her dress one more time before hanging it over a chair in the corner and going to bed beside her sister.

"Good night, Rose."

* * *

 _"Hi," Lucy smiled as Nisha came through the trees with her usual jug of water and loaf of bread. The darker girl only managed a weak smile in return, the events of the previous night too vivid in her mind. "Glad you're here, I'm starving!"_

 _Nisha carefully placed the jug of water beside the blonde and handed her the loaf before sitting down against their usual tree, carefully keeping some distance between them. Lucy greedily lifted the jug to her lips and drank._

 _"I've thought about last night," she said casually, taking a bite of her loaf. Nisha's heart skipped a beat. Maybe Lucy hadn't been as unconcious as she thought. "I kept thinking about how you asked me about my family, but I've never asked you about yours. I've never really asked you anything about yourself and now I feel like such a bad princess. I mean, half my training was about how to make polite conversation and here I am, blabbering on about me, me, me. Not asking you anything!"_

 _"It's quite alright, Princess," Nisha said, looking at her hands, not wanting to look at Lucy's kind blue eyes._

 _"No, it's not, it's rude! I'm rude!" Lucy exclaimed in between bites of bread and sips of water, apparently not noticing Nisha's reference to her as 'Princess'. "Anyway, that wasn't the point. You're the point, so tell me about you."_

 _"There's not much to tell," Nisha said with her eyes still glued to her hands. If she hadn't been too preoccupied with thoughts of how to avoid the situation she might have found it funny how she spent the one time Lucy looked at her and not the lake, staring at her own hands._

 _"Come one, there's always a story," Lucy encouraged, grabbing Nisha's right hand in hers. "I've told you my boring life story, now you tell me yours. You can start with where your from and what your family is like."_

 _"I grew up on the southern isles," she sighed in defeat. "My mother was a seamstress, my father a travelling salesman. She'd sew the most wonderful clothes; shirts, dresses, pants, anything really. Then he'd sell them on his travels. He wasn't home much, but when he was he was kind and loving. He died when he was out on one of his travels. It's really the way he wanted to go. My father never wanted to let disease break him, if he was going to die, it would on an adventure he said."_

 _Lucy's mild chuckle made Nisha turn to look at the girl. Her eyes had turned back to look at the lake though they seemed to see things much further away. Her hand was still intertwined with Nisha's._

 _"My mother has kept sewing, she taught me and my sister too," Nisha felt tears threatened her vision at the mention of her sister. Though Lucy surely noticed the small crack in Nisha's voice and her deep breath before continuing, she didn't say anything. "My sister is the most beautiful person I know. She's kind and smart and she deserves so much better."_

 _"She sounds wonderful," Lucy said, turning to give Nisha a small, comforting smile. Nisha nodded and gave a similar smile in return._

 _"I wish you could meet her," she said sadly, letting her eyes drift to the moon's reflection on the water._

 _"Maybe I will one day," Lucy answered, new hope in her voice. Nisha felt the tears threaten again, knowing Lucy never would meet her sister. She couldn't have both._

* * *

"Rose, you can't go now, there's a storm coming!" Lucy said and Rose almost laughed at how much she sounded like their mother. The younger girl was all ready to go, standing by the door in her red cape and with her basket on her arm. "It's too dangerous."

"It's not, it'll be fine if I go now," Rose insisted, completely certain that old Tom Weatherman was just being overly dramatic as usual. "It's just some snow and it's not that far."

"It's just a little snow _now_ , but what about when it turns into a blizzard and you're stuck in the forest? With the wolf?"

"If it's such a bad blizzard the wolf isn't out either," Rose argued, though the thought of the wolf did send a chill down her spine and doubt creeping in under her hood. "I really just want to go see granny one more time before winter. I promise I'll be careful and if the storm gets bad I'll turn back."

"Alright," Lily finally let out a sigh and moved closer to her sister to make sure her hood was fastened securely. "But please go straight to granny's, no stopping and no straying. Promise?"

"You sound just like mother," Rose grinned teasingly at her sister as the older girl fussed over her "all too thin dress" and "holey boots". "Can I go now?"

"Just be careful," Lily said one last time as she pulled her sister close for a hug.

"I will," Rose promised, before breaking away and walking out the door. As she watched her little sister walk through the lightly falling flakes toward the forest, Lily couldn't shake the sinking feeling in her stomach.

"Where were you last night?" The question seemed to crawl up Rose's back with cold fingers. She could feel her sister's presence at her bedroom door, even with her face to the screen of her computer.

"Out," she replied without looking away from the screen. Without turning she felt her sister's frustrated eyeroll and heard her deliberate sigh without listening. At this point it all felt like a routine.

* * *

"But where out?" The older girl insisted, leaning an arm against her sister's doorframe. Sometimes talking to Rose was like talking to a brickwall.

"Just out."

"Two night in a row?" Lily persisted, rubbing to fingers against her temple. "You shouldn't be out that much, it's not healthy. You should think about-"

"Would you knock it off? It's none of your business what I do," Rose finally turned to her sister with a cold stare. "I'm not one your students, you don't need to babysit me."

"That's not what I'm doing, I just-"

"It's exactly what you're doing," Rose insisted, anger making it's way into her voice as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "You're not responsible for me, so you can stop trying to control me."

"I don't want to control you, I just want you to be careful!" Lily was slowly changing her mind about conversations with Rose being like talking to brickwalls, it was more like beating them. Just as frustrating and futile, but more painful.

"I am. I came home, didn't I? Just because I'm not sitting at home being boring like you, that doesn't mean I'm not careful."

"Rose, it's just that-"

"Could you just go? I ahve school tomorrow and I'm pretty tired." The cold in her sister's voice sent a shiver down Lily spine. The younger girl had laid back down, her head turned away from Lily and back towards the cool light from the computer. With frustration still bioling her blood, Lily turned and walked hurriedly down the corridor to her own room. Neither slept for a long time.

* * *

Feebly trying to hold her won against the storm, Rose felt hot tears stream from her eyes and down her cheeks. With small snowflakes whipping against her skin like a thousand little daggers, she eventually foun solice by clinging to a tree. She sorely regretted leaving behind the warmth and safety of her home and felt like a stubborn child to have gone against her sister's advice. Had she listened to her sister she would be sitting in the cold, with only her red cloak to keep her warm. The violent shivers that ran through her body kept her awake. She almost wished to see the wolf, because if he could make it out in the storm then maybe so could she.

Rose thought about the way she'd said goodbye to her sister, hurriedly and with mocking. The tears flowed more freely and her chest shook with sobs as often as with cold shivers. To comfort herself she let her thoughts slip away to her father. She thought about their days in the meadow, of playing 'Wolf' in between the flowers and of him lifting her up so high she swore she could fly. If she could find some comfort in her cold grave between the trees, it was the thought of seeing him again.

Just as her eyes closed and her consciousness slipped away she could've sworn she saw something moving towards her in the snow.

* * *

 **AN:** So that was the second chapter, I hope you liked it! I would love to know what you think, so feel free to write a review!

I you have any questions for me or the characters or you want an overview of the characters then the tumblr is the place to go. The link is on my profile.

So, I have some questions for you:

1\. What's your favorite fairytale?

2\. Which character are you most interested in knowing more about? (Who's your favorite character?)

3\. Do you ship anyone yet? (I'd love to know which characters you think would work as a couple, crackships are totally welcome!)

Submission is still wide open so feel free to send me your lovely OCs! I've gotten some fantastic characters so far and I am really excited about writing about them!

So long!


	3. Nisha

"Some day you will find out that there is far more happiness in another's happiness than in your own."

\- Honoré de Balzac

* * *

"I'm telling you, Aislinn, we need to find out what the girl's deal is," Fred insisted as he and his sister sat in the principal's office at Storybrooke High School. The principal herself stood with her back to them, staring out the window. Her perfectly tailor white suit was a stark contrast to the dark colors of her office. Despite the woman's strict care about her own appearance her office still looked like it belong to a middle-aged man who was stuck in the wrong decade. "We don't know who she is, she could be dangerous."

"She's not dangerous, Fred, you saw her!" Charlotte interrupted, cutting her brother's exaggeration short. "She was even scared of you."

"She could just be playing the victim," Fred argued, turning from the principal to his sister. "And FYI, I can be really intimidating!"

"You couldn't even intimidate a fly, you-!" Charlotte's insult was stopped by a quick gesture from an elegant hand. For the first time Aislinn turned from the window to look at the pair sitting in front of her desk. Though she was only a principal in this world, the woman was still menacing. Her cool blue eyes scanned the siblings' faces and for a moment Fred wondered how terrifying it would be to be meet Aislinn if you were dating one of her daughters. He silently thanked whichever higher power there was that he did not, at the moment, hold any romantic notions of either of Aislinn's daughters.

"I'll talk to her," the woman said, sitting down at her desk with the ingrained grace of royalty. "I'll let you know what I find out."

* * *

She was warm. Something soft was draped around her and the familiar heat of a fire warmed her face. Still light shivers ran through her body, but none as violent as the ones she had before. Rose tried to open her eyes, but found her eyelids were too heavy. The smell of smoke and something like a wet dog surrounded her, lulling her back to sleep with the sound of the wind whistling around the corners.

* * *

 _"Did you ever hear the story about the Wild Swans?" Lucy asked Nisha one night. They had grown quite accustomed to sitting under the weeping willow and sharing stories about their childhoods. Lucy would talk about her father's castle and the many balls that were held there and how she'd made fun of all the pompous lords and cowardly princes when she was a child. Nisha would return the favor with stories about tigers and nomads who had seen all the world and dancers so skilled they could imitate a snake's movements. But the thing they both liked best was to share the great legends of their kingdoms and Lucy had been saving one of her favorites, but felt it was time to tell it._

 _"No, but I'd love to hear," Nisha answered and settled in with her head against Lucy's pale shoulder. She didn't need to look at the other girl to imagine the satisfied grin that spread across her face when she told stories._

 _"Once upon a time," Lucy began, staring off into the starry sky, seeing the story clearly in her mind. "There lived a king. A wicked witch held a grudge against him because she had fallen in love with him, but he would not marry her. When he didn't return her love and married another girl instead, the witch grew black of heart and swore on revenge. The kingdom was free of her for many years and the Queen bore eleven sons. While the Queen was expecting her twelvth child, a daughter, the witch cursed the eleven princes into swans and chased them away from the kingdom. When the princess was born she was strangely full of sorrow and loneliness and when asked she only said she was lonely because she had no brothers or sisters to play with. The Queen then told of her eleven brothers and the princess decided that she must rescue them."_

 _Lucy laughed at the story-princess' stubborn courage and childish determination the same way someone would laugh at their own arrogance from childhood. There seemed something familiar about it, as if she saw herself in the story. Nisha supposed it wasn't so odd, Lucy was after all, accustomed to swans at this point._

 _"At first the king forbade her from going, but when the princess grew older she ran off to rescue her brothers. She asked if anyone had seen eleven white swans fly past and though it had been years everyone she passed had seen them. The princess was so beautiful that everyone wanted to help her and many gave her room for the night. After travelling for so long that the king and queen had begun to worry, she finally found her eleven brothers. They were swans by day and men by night," Lucy stopped for a moment, taking a deep, bitter breath. "The princess asked them how she could undo the terrible spell. The brothers told her that to break the spell she had to knit a coat of stinging nettles for each of them and never say a word from she began until she was done. She did so, using only nettles from the graveyard by the cave where they rested. A prince found her and took her with him to the castle, thinking that such a beautiful maiden could not possibly belong in the woods. He dressed her in silk and intended to marry her, despite others at court declaring her a witch. The prince did not listen and had the princess' stinging nettles brought to her rooms. There she kept up her work, while the prince sat by her side, amused by her silence._

 _"Whenever she was out of nettles she'd go to the graveyard to get more, but she had to go alone and at night. The first time all was well, but the second time one of the noblemen saw her and followed her to the graveyard. The nobleman told the prince and the third time the princess went out for more nettles, both the prince and the nobleman saw her. She had now only one coat left, but the prince had her thrown in a dark cell and she was to be burned as a witch the next morning for the prince believed the nobleman's words that the beautiful girl he wanted to marry was indeed a wicked witch. The prince went to her in the cell and begged her for an explanation, but she could give none and only kept working on the last coat._

 _In the morning they took her to the courtyard to be burnt, but still she worked. She dragged the ten coats with her and would not give up her work on the eleventh. A huge crowd had come to see her burn, among them her eleven brothers in their swanshapes. Just as the executioner grabbed her hand and was about to push her unto the pile of wood, she threw the coats over the eleven swans. Suddenly they turned back into the beautiful princes they had once been, whole and happy. All except one, the last coat had not been quite finished so the youngest prince's arm never returned to him. Still, all could then see that the princess was no witch and she returned to her father and mother along with her eleven brothers. Then they lived happily ever after."_

 _"She must have been very brave," Nisha said after minutes of silence. Lucy had seemed content with telling the story, not asking what Nisha though of it. If knitting a coat of nettles could cure Lucy of her curse, Nisha would gladly have knit eleven coats, if not more._

 _"She was," Lucy said, a small smile pulling at the corners of her mouth. Her soft white hand rested intertwined with Nisha's, the way they'd gotten used to over the past few nights. "She was my mother."_

 _"She was?" Nisha couldn't hide the surprise from her voice. "And the prince, is he your father?"_

 _"No," Lucy replied, her brow furrowing. "I don't know what happened to him. Oddly my mother didn't want to marry him after he tried to have her burned."_

 _The two girls shared a laugh, the heartiest either had had in a long time. Their eyes meet, both crinkled with laughter and Nisha felt her heart skip a beat at how close the two were sitting. Lucy's eyes were as blue as the ocean Nisha had seen from her bedroom window as a little girl and her hair was light like the morning sun that shone through her window. Without thinking Nisha leaned forward and gently pressed her lips against the other girl's. For one blissful second they sat with their lips pressed together and hands intertwins under the weeping willow. There in that moment was everything Nisha had wanted._

 _Then Lucy pulled away. Her blue eyes were clouded with confusion and if Nisha wasn't mistaken, disgust. Before the blonde could say anything the other girl was on her feet and had darted in between the trees. Lucy tried calling her name, but recieved no reply. She was left with her head spinning, two fingers softly touching her lips right where the Nisha's had touched hers._

* * *

The next time Rose woke it was because of the smell. The mouthwatering smell of cooked meat drifted to her, gently pulling her awake. Slowly her eyes fluttered open and she found a bowl of soup standing on a small table in front of her. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and grabbed the bowl with clumsy hands, greedily slurping a great mouthful of soup, not even bothering with the spoon that laid untoched on the table. The hot liquid streamed down her throat, warming her from the inside out and burning in her chest. She cursed herself for drinking it all too fast and instead grabbed the spoon to halt her consumption.

As she ate she was too preoccupied with the wonder of food to think of much else, she hadn't even noticed how hungry she was until she could smell the soup. While she slowly began to feel full her eyes drifted across the room taking in the details of it. She found herself in a small room with a low roof. It was dark, the only light coming from the stone fireplace in front of her. The couch she lay on was in the middle of the room, but seemed to have been moved from it's original place by the wall behind her. Every surface seemed to be covered in something whether it was books, parchment or trinkets. The walls seemed to have been blue with intricate patterns of something golden, but now it was all faded and all you could see were the lightest blue with hints of yellow in some places.

Something creaking in the corner set her heart beating rapidly against her ribs as she turned her head towards the shadows of the corner. Her breath hitched as something moved in the darkness. There was nowhere to run and even if she could she wouldn't have the strenght to. Out of the shadows stepped a man. He was tall, maybe even taller than Monty, but he was definitely stronger than her friend. She could see some of his muscular chest through the untied neck of his shirt. The man came closer with an unreadable look on his face and Rose's stomach tied itself into a knot, threatening to dispose of the soup she'd just eaten. She could smell sweat, evergreens and a smell like wet fur when he stood by the couch. For one breathless second she was sure he would snap her neck in one quick movement as he looked her in the eyes. In the darkness she couldn't be sure of what color his eyes were, but they were lighter than hers.

His eyes pulled away from hers as he grabbed her bowl and walked back into the darkness with it. From the splashing sounds she assumed he was refilling her bowl and when he returned with it full he simply set it back on the table before heading out the door behind her, letting a gust of wind in before the door closed. Rose stared at the door for minutes after he left, pondering what her strange saviour's behaviour meant.

* * *

 _"Princess Lucy, I must apologize for-"_

 _"Don't," the princess said as soon as Nisha started talking. The pale girl sat in her usual spot under the willow, her pale golden hair braided over one shoulder. In the soft silvery light of the moon she looked divine, otherworldly somehow. It was as though she had traded her gold and ivory for silver and diamonds and only the sapphires of her eyes remained the same. Nisha had thought about what happened between them all day, planning what she would say to excuse or explain her behaviour. Of all the outcomes she had dreamed up, she had never dared to hope for such an easy solution. "There is nothing to apologize for."_

 _The smile she sent to Nisha sent shivers down her spine and she could feel the tension in her shoulders melt away. Lucy gestured for Nisha to come and sit by her, but didn't say anything when the other girl sat with more than their usual distance between them._

 _"Tell me more about sister," Lucy requested quietly, her eyes returning to the moon's reflection. Nisha took a deep breath before beginning, promising herself that she would do anything to make sure Lucy got the life that she deserved._

* * *

"So, Rachel, how are you liking Storybrooke so far?" The principal's voice was formal and impersonal, an odd combination with the question and cup of tea standing in front of the girl in her office. The girl in question had been quite surprised when the principal called her into the office for tea. That didn't seem routine, at least it had never been routine back home.

"It's fine," Rachel replied, sending a smile to the woman sitting opposite her, but quickly returned her gaze to the cup of tea. She hadn't dared to drink her tea yet, unsure of what taste it was.

"As I understand you moved her with only your father, am I correct?" Aislinn asked, lifting an eyebrow over eyes that darted between Rachel's face and the cup of tea in front of her. The young girl simply nodded, not elaborating on her mother's whereabouts. "Please, do drink your tea before it gets cold."

"What taste is it?" The girl asked, meeting Aislinn's eyes for the first time since she'd come in the office.

"Blueberries, with honey," Aislinn answered, with a cool smile. Her teeth were almost alarmingly white. Not wanting to be rude Rachel picked up the cup and took a sip. Immediately her eyes glazed over and a smirk picked up the corners of Aislinn's face.

"Now, let's see," Aislinn said, taking the cup from the girl and placing it back on the desk. She folded her hands in a pyramid in front of her and leaned forward. "What do you know about the Brothers Grimm?"

* * *

 _When Nisha was on her way to lake two days later, walking in the setting sun so she wouldn't miss the princess' transformation, she heard a horse whinny behind her. Quickly jumping in between the trees on the side of the road she lay hidden to have a look at whoever came riding. Very few used the road now, it was narrow and Rothbart had made sure there were dangers along the way to keep away unwanted company. He had also made sure it wasn't dangerous enough to scare off the brave young knights and princes who came looking for the princess. Half the point was to find a courageous young man._

 _Watching from her place amidst the bushes on the side of the road she spotted the young rider long before he could possibly spot her. In the light of the setting sun he was beautiful. The wind played with his brown hair, dyed partly red and gold by the setting sun and his cape flared out behind him and his horse. Nisha had never seen many princes, but he certainly looked like the men described in Lucy's stories. A strong jaw, but soft eyes and full lips. He had a serious face, but not stern. She could imagine Lucy riding beside this man, her golden hair flying behind her, a wild happy smile on her face. They would make handsome couple, she thought and cursed herself for the stab of jealousy that she felt._

 _Suddenly the man and horse were close by her, they would pass her soon. She needed to stop him to tell him that the princess was close, but she saw his gleaming sword and didn't dare jump out into the road. Though the man looked like a benevolent prince he could just as well be a ruthless ruffian. If she didn't stop him and get him to Lucy it would all be in vain. In a flash of panic Nisha picked up an acorn from the ground and threw it at the rider. She aimed for his chest, but unfortunately she hadn't practiced her aim in a while and hit him in the head instead. The man stopped the horse abruptly, touching a hand to his reddened temple. Taking advantage of his momentary confusion Nisha dashed further into the woods, hoping that the man would follow close enough to see where she was going, but far enough away to not be a threat. It wasn't the first time she had run from a man, but it was the first time she trying to keep him following her._

 _She thought perhaps that her prayers were being heard after all when she heard the man shout for her to stop, but her heart quickened it's pace; he was very close. Her determination to help her sister kept her feet running, though she could feel her energy wearing thin. The hike through the woods to the lake was longer than she remembered. Luckily she could hear the man's ragged breath behind her, he wasn't doing much better._

 _At last she could see the lake between the trees, she only needed to find a way to escape without the man seeing her. She took a sharp right, running parallel to the lake's bank. The last rays of the sun gleamed off the lake's surface and for a few seconds everything turned dark, the time of darkness between sunset and the moon's silvery hours. Just as Nisha felt her leg catch on some tree root and her body seemed thrown forward, the lake exploded with light. With her face pressed against the dirt Nisha heard the man behind her inhale quickly, taken aback by the beauty of the transformation. Nisha herself didn't need to see it to know what was happening. As the last rays of the sun hit the water's surface drops would shoot up, still reflecting the light. These drops would gather around the swan and as in some great explosion the light in the drops would shatter, emitting rays of all colors from the orb surrounding the bird. Once the drops fell down into the lake again and the beholder regained their vision there would be a beautiful princess left in the swan's place. Nisha had seen it enough times to know that the prince's first gasp had been his reaction to the explosion, while the quick breath he let out and the second intake of breath was caused by the sight of Lucy. The princess standing with water to her knees, hair wet with drops from the transformation and a breathless smile had been Nisha's favorite sight and she felt hot tears blur her vision thinking she had seen it for the last time._

 _"I found you," the prince breathed as he ran out into the lake to Lucy. Another hard stab of jealous pierced Nisha's heart as she imagined the prince pressing Lucy to his chest and kissing her hard on the mouth. The sound of Lucy's joyous laugh did little to ease the pain._

 _"Philip!" Lucy exclaimed, not hearing the whimper that came from the woods, all she knew in the world just then was the feel of his arms around her. The princess' arms were wrapped around the man's neck, but she had to stand on her toes reach him. He held her to him and breathed in the smell of her hair, saltier than he remembered. "I thought no one would ever help me."_

 _"Of course I'd help you," Philip said, his voice tender as he looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms. "I just had to find you first."_

 _Her soft laugh brought him back a thousand memories of their days together and washed away all his worries about acorn-throwing spirits. All that mattered was the girl beside him. He took her little hand in his and led her out of the lake, unto the shore._

 _"My horse is waiting just through the trees, if we ride now-"_

 _"I can't come with you," Lucy said, stopping on the shore and pulling Philip to a halt as well. Hurt flashed across his face as he turned to her, confused and pained by her refusal. For the first time since seeing her did Philip notice the chill of the wind and his cold feet, soaked from the water in the lake. "It's the curse, I turn back into a swan at dawn. I can't leave this lake until a man kisses me and swears to be faithful to me until the day he dies."_

 _"Then I, Philip, swear to-"_

 _"We need a witness," Lucy interrupted with a short laugh. His eagerness to pledge himself to her was endearing, if futile._

 _"Then I'll go to the nearest village and bring with me the finest men I find, they'll bear witness," Philip declared, stepping closer to her and placing a gentle hand on her waist. "I'll be back before sunset tomorrow."_

 _"Til sunset," Lucy nodded looking up at the man's face with hope and trust. He kissed her forehead tenderly before turning and running into the forest with only a quick smile over his shoulder to her. Lucy stared at the spot he'd vanished into for a long time, as if willing it to be sunset again would make it come sooner. Little did she know of all the tragedies that awaited them._

* * *

After eating Rose had fallen back to sleep again and when she woke the third time it was with a start. A cool rough hand was on her forehead and the smell of evergreens was heavy around her. Her eyes shot open at the cold contact of the hand on her forehead and she couldn't quite repress the gasp that escaped her lips as she saw the man leaning over her. He was kneeling by the couch she slept on, one hand on her forehead, the other on his own. She didn't dare move, she hardly dared breathe. Though the man had been nothing but good to her she had no idea of why or if he intended to keep up the good care.

The man wasn't looking at her, he was staring blankly at something above her head, his brow furrowed. His eyes were lighter than she remembered, more blue. She shivered at the memory of the wolf's eyes, intensely blue and focused. At her movement his eyes darted down to her, something like worry flashing across his face. When his eyes met hers and saw that she was awake a slight blush crept up his cheeks and he quickly averted his eyes from hers, instead turning to hand her a cup of warm liquid from the table. Rose took the cup from him, but doing so the tips of her fingers came in contact with his sending a shockwave through her body. She almost dropped the cup in surprise, but his bigger hands tightened their grip around it before it slipped out of hers. Their eyes met again and for a moment Rose was afraid he'd strike her. There was something unreadable about his eyes, she felt as if he could kill her as well as caress her.

"Drink," he said, his voice gruff. It was the voice of someone who hadn't spoken in a while, rusty from disuse. "It'll help."

"Thank you," Rose replied, embarrassed by how breathless she sounded. She pressed the cup to her lips and felt warm liquid make it's way down her throat, warming her more gently than the soup had. It tasted of wildberries and she assumed it was some sort of tea. The man's eyes stayed focused on her face and it wasn't until she had finished drinking that she noticed how naked she was. All she was wearing was a thin men's shirt over her underthings, embarrassed she pulled the quilted blanket closer to her. The man noticed her modesty and averted his eyes away from her alltogether.

"Your clothes were wet, I had to _take them off you_ so they could dry," he took care to avoid saying "undress", the blush creeping up his cheeks again. "You'll get them back once they're dry."

"Thank you," Rose said, looking up at the man as he stood. He took her empty cup with a small nod and placed it on a table in the corner he had come from earlier with the soup. Before Rose could say anything else, express her gratitude in some other way, he was out the door again. She found it odd how she would shiver at even the gust of wind when he went out, but he never even brought a jacket when he went out into the storm.

* * *

 _"Oh, Nisha, there you are!" Lucy was on her feet as soon as she heard her friend's footsteps. Nisha almost fell over as she shorter girl crashed into her and pulled her into a crushing hug. She longed to wrap her arms around the blonde and hold her there forever, keeping her from all harm, but forced herself to let go and brush the girl's enthusiasm off with a laugh._

 _"What's gotten you in such a merry mood?" She asked, ignoring the hollow pain in her chest. Lucy's radiating smile and blushing cheeks felt like punches to her stomach, but Nisha kept a strained smile in her face._

 _"He found me," Lucy confessed, her voice bubbly with excitement._

 _"The prince?" Nisha asked, faking surprise. She had never lied to the princess and doing so now felt like a betrayal. Then she thought of what she would need to do next and cursed her heart for letting Lucy in in the place._

 _"Prince? No, he's no prince," Lucy giggled, amused by the image of Philip in a crown bossing around the servants. "He's one of the stableboys I told you about. Well, I don't suppose he's a stableboy anymore, he seems to have moved up while I've been away."_

 _"Where is he now then?"_

 _"Oh, he went to get a witness, you just missed him," Lucy's bright smile returned, amplified by the thought of her escape. "I'll be home soon, Nisha! It'll be so wonderful to see father again, and the cook and Nana! I haven't see her in years! Oh, Nisha you must come with us!"_

 _"I can't," Nisha replied too quickly, causing hurt to flicker across Lucy's face. The look of disappointment would forever be etched into Nisha's mind. "Rothbart promised to help me get back home if I'd serve him and I so want to see my family again. You understand?"_

 _"I do," Lucy said, looking down to hide the tears in her eyes. It had never occurred to her that her friendship with Nisha would end when she was found. "Does that mean that this is goodbye?"_

 _"I suppose so," Nisha said, biting back the tears that now threatened to spill down her cheeks. Before she could say more she found herself once again crushed by the shorter girl's arms. This time she did not hold back and hugged the princess to her, hiding her face in the girl's salty blonde hair. For a long time they stood holding each other, neither saying a word. When Lucy pulled away she looked into Nisha's brown eyes with her own blue ones, clouded by freshly fallen tears. Standing on her toes she kissed the other girl's cheek, squeezed her hand once and turned. As Nisha left the last she saw of the princess was her lone form cradled by the willow, her eyes staring blankly out at the moon's reflection on the lake. In the light of the moon she looked more like a princess than Nisha had ever seen her._

* * *

With her blanket wrapped around her Rose made her way through the cabin, looking at all the little trinkets. She found that she rather liked it, though the places where the wallpaper had been ripped apart by something sharp like a sword or, if she let herself think that way, claws, still sent shivers down her spine. There was something rather strange about the place. Though it was all worn down and in some cases broken or poorly repaired, it seemed to once have been beautiful. The wall paper must have looked exquisite when the blue was still vibrant and the gold vivid, rather than faded like now. The furniture also showed traces of former glory with intricate patterns or scenes from history carved into the trees they were made of. One of her favorites was the couch she had slept on, it depicted eleven swans flying towards the middle where the figure of a woman was carved and eleven men stood by her side, opposite the swans. It seemed to her that the cabin must have been owned by a very rich man. She couldn't imagine that the man living there now could be the first owner, he didn't seem to have much money to spare. Rose shuddered at the thought of what could have happened to the previous inhabitant.

Rose let her fingers trail along on of the many bookshelves that lined the wall, pushing thoughts of former owners aside. There were more books on that one bookshelf than she had seen all her life and more than she expected to read in her lifetime. She had been fortunate as her father had once serviced a lord and been taught how to read and write and he had passed that skill down to his daughters. Lily wrote very beautifully, the letters flowing naturally from her pen. Rose on the other hand struggled to make the letters fit with the next and each letter seemed to be part of a whole new word. She sighed as her fingers traced the beautifully intricate writing on the leather of the books, letting them fall to a box on one of the lower shelves. It was a small wooden box with a pattern of flowers carved into the lid.

"You're up," jumping the sound of the rough voice behind her Rose dropped the box. It fell to the floor with a heavy thud, but just as Rose bent to pick it up herself she found there were already two hands around it. Instead of grasping the box her hands grabbed hold of two other hands, shocking her at the contact. Tension hung in the air as they both righted themselves, carefully avoiding eye contact.

"I'm sorry, I was just looking around and I thought the box was so beautiful," Rose began to explain, holding the blanket around her, suddenly feeling like an intruder and a thief. She intently scanned the box for damage as the man turned it in his hands, probably making sure she hadn't done any permanent damage. "I'm very sorry if I broke it."

"It's not broken," the man stated plainly, not looking up at her. She thought she could see anger in the tense set of his shoulders, but she was never sure with him.

"I shouldn't have snooped around, I really am sorry," Rose apologized again, feeling like a clumsy child who had broken her mother's prized china.

"It's all right, it's just an old box anyway," the man said with a quick smile, but something in his eyes made her think it was more than just a box. "Are you hungry? I've got some rabbits."

"Oh, yes," Rose nodded quickly, only then noticing the rabbits hanging around the man's neck. He had turned and headed up the stairs with the little wooden box before she realized with a shudder that he had been out hunting all day, but there was no trace of a weapon.

* * *

 _"You remember our deal now," Rothbart whispered in Nisha's ear as he tied her corset tighter. She already struggled to breathe near him, she did not need the restricting corset to keep her breathless. She kept her eyes steady on her own reflection in the looking glass, trying to block out the man standing behind her. "You know what to do."_

 _"Yes,"Nisha whispered through gritted teeth. The man's tight grip on her arm would surely leave a mark, but she could care less about the physical pain. The anguish of what she was about to do to Lucy was worse torment than any man could inflict._

 _"Good," he said, pressing a small bottle of dark liquid into her hand. "Now drink."_

 _Reluctantly Nisha opened the bottle, taking the deepest breath her corset would allow and swallowed a heavy mouthful of the dark liquid. It tasted awful, thick and bitter. Staring in horror at her reflection as her eyes turned from their usual warm brown to the sharp blue of the ocean, her hair became curled and gilded and her skin went pale. What sickened her most about her transformation was not the inches she shrunk or the change in coloring it was seeing her face change from her own to one she had come to know just as well. Tears started spilling from her newly blue eyes before she was halfway through._

* * *

The first meal Rose shared with the man was a quiet one. She couldn't think of a single thing to say to her savior and current host. Though her mother always adviced her against speaking to strangers, Rose was sure there was a special exception if they saved your life. The irony of it all was her apparent need to talk to the random strangers, but her inability to talk to the one who had saved her.

"Thank you, for everything," Rose eventually said, looking up from her soup and over at the man sitting opposite her. He looked up at her quickly and flashed her a closed smile before returning to his soup, but some of the tension in his shoulders seemed to melt away. His tousled brown hair fell forward, almost falling into his soup and he pushed it back again, but Rose could tell at once that it would eventually fall down yet again. The strange man was a lot less intimidating when eating soup.

"What's your name?" He asked after long minutes with only the sounds of their eating breaking the silence. Though she had thought about her lack of a name for him an abundance of times she had not once thought about the fact that he did not know hers.

"It's Rose," she answered and was taken aback when he chuckled. No one she had ever introduced herself to had laughed at her name before. Her face must have shown she was offended because he quickly put a hand to cover his mouth and stifle the laughter, though that only made him laugh harder. Strangely the sound seemed unfamiliar to him, as if had he hadn't laughed out loud in a while.

"I'm sorry, that was rude," he apologized, his brow furrowing as his smile disappeared. Something in her hadn't wanted him to stop laughing, despite it being about her name. "It's just, oh, it's nothing really."

"What's yours then?" Rose asked, her huffiness fleeing from her curiosity. She had thought of many names for him, some were the names of the great heroes of the past and some were names of brave men she knew.

"Adam," he said, for once keeping eye contact with her. Despite the numerous times she's thought about what his name could be, Adam had never crossed her mind. She let the name settle in her mind while she looked back at him and for once neither of them shied away from the contact.

* * *

 _"Daniel, meet Lucy,"Philip said with great pride as saw Lucy standing by the water's edge, looking every bit as beautiful as she had the night before. The shorter man behind him gave the princess a shallow bow as he came through the treeline. Though Philip seemed happy as long as the princess was in sight, Daniel didn't feel so safe in that forest. "Lucy, meet Daniel. He has been very helpful."_

 _"It's a pleasure to meet you, Daniel," Nisha said in Lucy's voice with a grateful smile to the shorter man. Philip put an arm around her waist and Nisha forced her body to relax at his touch. She could feel Rothbart's eyes on her from the trees on her right. If Philip noticed anything was amiss everything would fall apart and Nisha couldn't let that happen. Not when her sister depended on her._

 _"You look lovely," Philip whispered to her and Nisha felt like she would be sick as he led her through the trees. Luckily he didn't notice how strained her smile was, or the tears that lurked in the corners of her eyes. Part of her wished he would get on with the promises of devotion and faithfulness so it could all be over, while another part wished he would never promise anything so Lucy could have as long as possible before being doomed to spend eternity as a swan. "Are you cold?"_

 _Nisha shook her head and smiled despite feeling a chill down to her core, because she knew it had nothing to do with the temperature. All the same the man beside her wrapped his arm around her shoulder, covering her with his cape. For once Nisha felt a sting of regret for him, despite her earlier jealousy. He meant well and she excpected he would've treated Lucy well, had they married._

 _"I'm sorry we were late, there were some obstacles," Philip whispered to her, bending slightly so his mouth was closer to her ear. Nisha felt herself nod numbly, secretly knowing exactly which obstacles they were and who had put them there._

 _"You're here now, that's all that matters," she heard Lucy's voice say, hardly needing to think before knowing what the true princess' reply would've been._

 _"I think this is a good place," the darkhaired man said, holding up a torch to light the clearing they found themselves in. Philip took a nervous breath before taking both of her hands in his._

 _"My dearest Luciana," he said with a shaky grin, looking into the blue eyes of the girl he thought to be Luciana. Nisha hoped he took her tears of joyous ones because she didn't think she could hold them back much longer. "When you first disappeared I did not think I would ever see you again and I thought about all the good things about you that we'd lose and I was sad. We'd lose your beautiful smile, your golden hair and the way you always put everyone else first." The tears started spilling down Nisha's face at the vivid images of Lucy flashed before her eyes. "We'd lose your blue eyes and your sweet laughter. Then I thought about all the not so wonderful things we'd lose," he took a deep breath, before continuing;"and I was devestated. I'd lose those cute wrinkles you get on your nose when you're angry and how you never give up, even when it's obvious you should." He laughed a little, probably reminiscing something from their shared childhood. Nisha drew breath sharply as he knelt down on one knee in front of her. She felt as if she were going to faint, finding it near impossible to breathe. "The point is, Lucy, that I don't want to lose any of those things. I never want to lose_ you _. You, Princess Luciana of the Kingdom of Flowers, are the love of my life and I would be the happiest man on earth, if you would grant me your hand in marriage."_

 _"Yes," Nisha said, feeling her legs begin to give in under her, but being held up by Philip who stood to support her, probably assuming she was weak with joy. The thought of the happiness that spread across the man's face being crushed in a matter of seconds, tore at Nisha's heart, but she had come too far to turn back. "I would love to marry you."_

 _Philip's mouth crashed against hers, though he was surprsingly gentle. For a second Nisha allowed herself to imagine that it was Lucy who was kissing her, Lucy whose arms wrapped around her waist and whose hand was tangled in her hair. The beautiful fantasy lasted only that one second because the night was pierced by a bloodcurdling scream. Nisha ripped herself away form Philip and saw her own face reflected in his eyes and knew that he understood too, despite the confusion on his face. Without thinking Nisha ran out of the clearing towards the place the scream had come from. She didn't listen to hear the sound of Rothbart's laughter and the terrifying growl that followed it. Neither did she hear the sounds of swords being pulled from their sheaths as Philip and Daniel were attacked by the sorcerer. Nisha had only thing on her mind;_ find Lucy.

* * *

 **AN: I hope you liked this chapter! Little bit of a cliffhanger at end there. Sorry about this very Nisha/Rose-centric chapter. I intended to wrap up the Swan Princess storyline, but I figured it would be more fun to leave you hanging.**

 **Anyway, I have a couple of questions for you again:**

 **1\. What is your least favorite fairytale?**

 **2\. What do you think Rachel's deal is?**

 **3\. What do you think of the tumblr, any suggestions for improvements?**

 **4\. What do you think of the length of the chapters?**

 **5\. Please vote on the poll on profile for the fairytale you'd like to see more of! (Not really a question, but oh well)**

 **If you've changed your mind about/figured out you answer to any previous questions, I'd love to know! Oh, and I'll be MIA the next couple of days because I have a friend visiting, but feel free to drop me a review of PM and I will get to you when I have the time!**

 **Oh and it's not to late to submit a character if you want to do that!**

 **Til sunset!**


	4. Aislinn

"She finally understood that, no matter how hard you try, you can't make someone love you. You can't stop them from making the wrong decision. There's no magic for that."

\- Sarah Addison Allen

* * *

 _Once upon a time there was a young king who ruled in the North. This young king was eager to please his people and tried his very best. He soon found his duties as king to be weighing more heavily on his mind than he'd expected. After several bad trades he began to doubt if he was suited to be king and asked a fortuneteller to help him decide if he should give up the throne to. The fortuneteller told him his life as king could go one of two ways. Either he would forever struggle to make the right choices and live in constant doubt. Or he gain something that would help him make the right calls. She warned him that the price for such an object would be steep, but the young king decided that no price was too steep for the safety and prosperity of his people._

 _"Lucy!" Bursting into the courtyard of Rothbart's mansion Nisha found a single white form on the ground. The form lay completely still, it's ruffled feathers moving gently in the cool wind of the coming winter. Before she even reached the unmoving swan Nisha felt hot tears blur her vision and she fell to her knees. Something was not right, the form was too still. The sight of Lucy lying so still and knowing it was her fault, felt like a dagger through her heart. "Please, Lucy, please!"_

 _Harsh sobs rocked her back and forward as she took the swan's head and placed it in her lap, gently smoothing over the feathers. Lucy was still warm, despite the chill of the air and the light flakes of snow that were falling gently around them. With a trembling hand she felt the swan's chest for a heartbeat, drawing a shaky breath when she found it, weak and fluttering. Nisha's white dress and blue cloak were spotted with mud and felt like an insult to the beautiful creature lying in her lap._

 _"Lucy, I am so sorry," Nisha whispered through her tears. "I never wanted it to come to this. I never wanted you to-", she found she could not finish the sentence. "I would knit a thousand stinging nettle coats if it would bring you back." Her ragged sobs echoed through the courtyard. "Lucy, if you can make it through this I will stay with you. If you'll have me I'll be here. I'll bring you water and bread and I'll tell you stories and-" She bit her lip, trying to silence her crying, but failing. "Lucy, please, don't leave me. I love you."_

 _Finally giving into the tears, Nisha hunched over Lucy's still form, her tears falling down on the still form. She felt as though some phantom hand had reached into her chest and was clenching an iron fist around her heart, squezing all the life and love out of it, leaving her lifeless. What Nisha didn't feel was the sudden warmth radiating from the form in her lap, nor did she see the burst of light. When a tender hand touched hers ever so gently and she heard soft gasps, she swore she were just imagining things. Not until the hand's grip on hers firmed and she felt slight movement in her lap did she open her eyes. No sight had ever seemed to wonderful to her. A pair of bright blue eyes gazed up at her, somewhat glazed. Golden hair spilled over her lap, framing a beautiful pale fale. A weak, yet breathtaking smile._

 _"You found me."_

* * *

 _"Here it is," the breathy voice whispered in Godric's ear as two tan hands removed themselves from his eyes. Finally seeing, Godric found an astonishing mirror standing before him in his bedchambers. It was taller than he was, with a thick silver frame. On the frame were engraved little people going about their lives. There were little millers and little farmers, little soldiers and even a little king sitting on his throne. It was beautiful and when Godric looked into it he could see all around him clearly._

 _"It's wonderful, Asha" he said, turning to the beautiful woman beside him. "And it works? It shows me things for what they are?"_

 _"Yes," she answered, a smile spreading across her face. "But I must warn you, my king. Now the mirror is pure, it has only seen deeds of good. It will show you things for what they are and how they should be. That is the mirror's true intent. But should the mirror see dark deeds it will turn dark. It will only show you the darkest sides of men and you will never know what good could come."_

 _"So, if I should murder someone in this room," Godric asked, a crooked smile pulling at his lips. The darkskinnes woman in his arms rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Then the mirror would reflect that? It wouldn't be pure anymore?"_

 _"Yes, exactly," Asha replied, letting the king pull her closer to him by the waist. Her layered shawles kept his hands from contact with her skin, but his fingers had grown accustomed to finding their way beneath all the layers of her robes. Kissing him lightly on the lips she pulled away and went to stand behind him, turning him back towards the mirror. "When you look in the mirror, how do you see yourself?"_

 _"I see myself as a great king," he answered without hesitation. He could feel her body press against his from behind, her slender arms wrapped around his torso. "I am just and brave and my people love me." Her arms snaked up under his shirt, feeling the strong muscles. "I protect my people and we prosper." His cheeks blushed and his eyes went to the floor, before he smiled and continued; "And I have an enchanting woman by my side, doing ungodly things to me."_

 _"Is that so?" She asked coyly, her breath hot in his ear as one of her hands dipped into his pants. Godric let out a sigh, while the woman behind him gently kissed his neck. In one shift movement he turned around and crashed his lips to hers, her legs wrapping around him as he lifted her. Her deep laughter echoed through his room as she broke away form the kiss. Her lover's newfound confidence was truly amusing, he'd come a long way from the insecure prince he had been when she first met him. The northerners usually weren't so adventurous, but she was beginning to appreciate the king's primal reaction to her touch._

 _"You are so beautiful," he whispered as he sat down on his bed, the woman still in his lap. Her hands were in his hair, gently tugging at the fair strands. His hands were on their way up her thighs underneath all her layers, his blue eyes focused on hers._

 _"I think you'll be a great king, my love," she said with a sidewards glance to the mirror, before she leaned down to kiss him deeply._

* * *

Rose's days in the cabin were mostly spent exploring it when Adam was out, looking around for new little trinkets. She didn't dare poke around at his things if he were there to observe, but once he was out she let herself have a look around. There were so many little trinkets stuffed into the tiny cabin, she wondered how he could've gotten hold of all of them. She did not let herself dwell on thoughts of the items' origins for too long, as dark and twisted ideas crept into her mind. Instead she let herself get lost in their beauty. Many of the trinkets were beautifully made, small and delicate. There were music boxes that played the most enchanting tunes while little princesses danced, animal figurines of glass and porcelain whose eyes twinkled and gleamed in the light and there was jewelry in little boxes. Some of the boxes were wooden like the one she'd looked at before and some were porcelain, but all contained wonderful pieces of jewelry. Though most pieces were intact, a few of the necklaces were broken, seemingly ripped apart. Whenever she found the broken pieces she would quicly close that box and put it away, not wanting to find evidence of a dark deed among the pearls and jewels.

If Adam was annoyed to find her poking through his things when he came home, he didn't show it. He hardly seemed to pay attention to her at all, leaving her to her own devices nearly all the time. When he came home from wherever he'd been he'd either head upstairs or sit reading a book in the chair in the corner. Rose couldn't imagine the wooden chair he sat in to be comfortable for longer periods of time, as it was the same chair she sat in when they ate, but she didn't dare suggest that he sit by her on the couch. Though he didn't seem to mind that she looked around, she did sometimes feel his eyes bore into the back of her head when he thought she was lost in a book. It was the sensation of being watched by a predator and she felt eerily like the rabbit about to be the fox's dinner.

The tension in Adam's shoulders never seemed to be completely gone, he always seemed on guard. A sudden sound would make his head shoot up and his eyes wearily scanned the room for an intruder. At times his head would perk up at seemingly nothing and he'd stand quickly and be out the door before Rose could ask what was wrong or where he was going. That often happened after she'd felt him staring at her.

* * *

"Ah, Alicia, come in," the older woman's vocie beckoned her in. Alicia stepped into the principal's office without a word, feeling awkward. It had been years since she'd been there and returning didn't exactly feel like a step in the right direction. Something about the principal's cool eyes always put her on edge.

"What can I help you with, ma'am?" Alicia asked, trying to mask her insecurity in formal authority. She told herself that she was an adult now, equal to the woman sitting in front of her. Despite her best efforts she still felt like the sophomore being sent to the principal's office for bad behaviour.

"I need you to look into someone for me," Aislinn stated, noticing as Alicia's interested peaked. A slight smile picked up the corners of her mouth as she observed the young girl. "You want to be a detective, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am, I do," Alicia said, shifting her weight from one foot to another.

"Good," Aislinn stated plainly. "I need you to find out everything you can about Rachel Dalton."

* * *

 _"Look, Asha, I'm sorry," Godric insisted as he followed the darkskinned woman into his chambers, quickly closing the door behind them. He reached out to touch her exposed shoulder, but her icy stare stopped him. The king had never seen his lover so torn up before, her brown eyes burning coldly. "I never meant to-"_

 _"To hurt me? To marry?" She spat at him, turning to face him fully, twirling the skirts of her beautiful gown. "You're king, we both knew you'd have to marry someday."_

 _"Then why are you so upset with me?"_

 _"Because you neglected to tell me when we were alone," she hissed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. "You had every opportunity to tell me last night, but you didn't. You let me think you were free and mine, only to announce your engagement tonight!"_

 _"I didn't tell you because it doesn't matter," he said through clenched teeth. "My marriage doesn't change what we have."_

 _"Maybe not to you, but I will not share another woman's husband," she replied, her head held high with pride. Without another word she turned away from him, closing his door on the way out. Staring after her the mirror she had given him seasons ago caught his eye. When he looked into it he saw the just and beloved king he had always seen, but dark circles were under his eyes and his crown sat crooked on his head. Brushing it off as a trick of his slightly intoxicated mind, king Godric headed back down to his engagement party._

* * *

 _Riding away from Rothbart's mansion and to the nearby village was one of the most painful experiences of Nisha's life. With only two horses she was stuck sitting behind the other man, Daniel, holding on to him for dear life while they rode, watching Lucy sit in front of Philip, laughing all the way down. No matter how painful it was to watch the princess lean into the stableboy's chest, it had been more painful still to see them embrace when he came running into the courtyard. The tight hug she had gotten herself paled to the weakest of handshakes compared to the loving embrace the man had recieved. The soft kiss he got when he set Lucy down only made Nisha's heart ache more._

 _"I can't wait to see father," Nisha overheard Lucy say to Philip. "And tell him how you saved me."_

 _"He saved you? He nearly got you killed!" Nisha wanted to scream the words to the couple on the other horse, but bit back her words and tightened her grip on Daniel's shirt until her knuckles turned white._

 _"So, are you a captured princess too?" Daniel asked her casually, looking over his shoulder at her. Nisha thought he looked ridiculous, like he was attempting to be an owl._

 _"No," she replied coolly, looking to the trees on her left for comfort. When shedidn't offer any more he didn't ask. She was greatful he didn't, because the tears that spilled from her eyes would've been hard to hide if she were talking._

* * *

"You heard about Rose and Adam yet?" May asked the naked man beside her as she slipped into her top and turned on the light on the nightstand. The blonde searched the room in vain for her bra, not quite recalling where Cyrus had slung it when he took it off her.

"Yeah, I think he mentioned banging some chick you knew," Cyrus mumbled, admiring the view as May bent to pick up her bra from the floor. "Why? Is she getting all googly eyed over him? 'Cause she can forget it."

"Why should she forget it?" May asked, feeling insulted on her friend's behalf. Though May doubted Rose was serious about Adam she did seem somewhat smitten. At least she thought he was better in bed than Dave, as she had told May about a thousand times.

"'Cause he doesn't do relationships," the brown-haired man stated like it was obvious. While he still lay naked in bed, the woman was already dressed to leave, only missing her coat and shoes. "You don't want her to end up like Kaleb?"

"No, but she won't, she's a girl," May said, checking her purse for her keys and valuables. Cyrus gave her a sceptical look. "Come on, you know Adam's straight."

"Not when he's baked," Cyrus replied with a smirk, leaning over to his nightstand to fish out a pack of cigarette's. "All I'm saying is that your friend shouldn't expect anything from him. Adam's not the guy you date, he's the guy you fuck."

"Takes one to know one," May muttered, before heading out of the bedroom. "See ya."

"Lock the door on your way out!" Cyrus called from the bed, stuffing a smoke in his mouth and lighting it.

* * *

 _"I said I wanted wine from the Southern Isles, not the Central Kingdom, you stupid wench!" The bottled hurled through the air and crashed in the wall, right beside the maid's head. The half-dressed king Godric downed the red wine in his cup in one swallow, throwing the cup after the bottle and the sound echoed through the room as the cup hit the wall and then the floor. "And bring me my daughter!"_

 _"I'm here, father," the young princess said as she stepped around the maid in the door. The maid gave the girl a grateful look as she passed. Her father's bedchambers were a mess and so was he, but the princess pretended not to notice either. Her pale blue eyes were glued to the king's face as his expression calmed slightly at the sight of her._

 _"Good, there is something I want to show you," he beckoned her in with a hand movement, dismissing the maid with a look. The young woman hurried out, closing the door carefully. The king led his daughter to what she had always assumed to be a painting of her mother covered by a heavy drape. When he pulled the drape off the princess was surprised to find that it was not a painting at all, but a beautiful mirror. "This is the most powerful object in all the land."_

 _"But, isn't it just a mirror?" The princess asked, her brow furrowing._

 _"It's not," the king replied, leaning down to her. On his breath she could smell the alcohol, but she didn't say anything about it. "This mirror shows you things exactly as they are and should be. It tells me which deals to make and which to avoid, it's the reason we've been so prosperous. Without this mirror the kingdom would be lost."_

 _"But the world look awful," the princess said, looking up at her father with big, frightened eyes. Looking in the mirror she only saw destruction and decay, not the joy and life she faced everyday._

 _"Yes, it looks awful," the king replied bitterly. "Because the world is awful. Don't argue with me, child, you might think the world is good, but you are young. You will learn."_

 _"If you say so father," the blonde said with a courteous nod. Her father pushed her chin up with his thumb and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead._

 _"One day when you are queen," he said. "You will understand, Aislinn."_

* * *

"Hey, Lily!" Monty panted as he caught up with the pale girl on her way back to her house. The strong wind ruffled her hair and the snow flakes sparkled white in her black hair. "Is Rose back yet? I haven't seen her and I figured that it's been a while since she left."

"No, she hasn't come back yet," Lily said loudly to be heard over the wind. "I'm really worried, but mother says it's no use sending anyone now. I'm sure she's fine, she probably just has enough sense to stay with granny until this weather dies down."

"You're probably right," Monty sighed, kicking the snow with his foot. "Could you let me know when she comes back?"

"Of course, Monty," Lily sent him a quick smile as she turned against the cold wind and kept going towards her house. Though she hadn't shown Monty exactly how worried she was because she didn't want to frighten him, Lily really was scared for her little sister. Rose had never been one to stay on the path and straying in a storm like the one they'd had could mean a frozen grave. Repressing images of her baby sister with her lips frozen blue and her hair snowed down, Lily went back into the warmth of their home.

* * *

Warm water enveloped her body. The fire crackled pleasantly and the sound of the wind howling around the corners only made her grateful for the warmth of the cabin. Rose was done scrubbing her body, but let herself lean back against the tub and get lost in her own thoughts. Throughout her stay in Adam's cabin, and she assumed it had been about a fortnight now, she had been efficiently repressing her memories of how he had saved her. She did not remember much about it, her subconcious had been slipping away rapidly at that point, but she remembered the figure moving towards her and how inhuman it had seemed. When she hadn't known more about him it had seemed plausible that it had been a trick played on her mind by exhaustion, but with Adam's strange behaviour, hunting without a weapon and going out in a storm without a jacket, that hardly seemed the case. With chills running down her spine, her heart pounding and her head spinning she had come to terms with the idea that Adam was the wolf. She had no idea of how it worked, precisely, but that had to be it.

Now that she had accepted the probability of how he had saved her, the question that haunted her mind was why. One option was by far more frightening than any other, but she refused to believe that he would have waited so long if he was going to eat her. The sensible part of her brain suggested that he might be saving her for when he ran out of rabbits, or he was waiting until she was fatter. She tried to brush it off with thoughts of how he had seemed willing to take her back to the village once the weather was clear and how well he had treated her. She thought about his cool hand on her forehead, making sure she didn't have a fever. How he always took care that she got enough to eat and the sweet tea he made for her. Still the sharp and sensible voice insisted that a gentleman was simply a patient wolf. In that moment she realized that the voice only echoed what her mother and grandmother had told her before. Somehow that seemed to give the words both more and less weight.

The door creaked open and the cold wind swept in, making the hair on her arms stand on end. Just as she was about to turn in greeting she realized she was naked and threw her arms around herself to cover her breasts instead. Even without turning she knew it was Adam, no one else ever came to their cabin. The awkward and surprised sound the deep voice made only confirmed her suspicions. The door slammed shut again almost instantly and Rose turned her head to find Adam gone. She quickly stepped out of the tub and wrapped her blanket around her body to cover and warm herself. Not wanting Adam to stand out in the cold longer than necessary she hurried over to the door and opened it for him, blushing slightly at his stiff expression as he saw her. He had obviously expected her to do the proper thing and get dressed before letting him in again.

"I can wait here if you want to-"

"Don't be silly, come in," Rose brushed him off. "It's freezing!"

"Thank you," he replied, avoiding eyecontact with her as he came back in again. He closed the door behind them as she headed over to the couch where her clothes lay waiting. She had managed to wash them once while he was out, sitting on the floor by the tub in the blanket, but they were beginning to grow dirty again.

"You know, I do have some clothes upstairs that might fit you," Adam said, finally daring a look at her. It was almost as though he had read her mind, or maybe he just didn't want to smell her dirty clothes anymore. She thanked him and followed him upstairs, carefully holding the blanket to her chest to keep it from falling down and revealing more than she wanted him to see. Rose had never been upstairs before, it had always seemed too private to go up there when Adam was gone. It was humbler than she's imagined. The simple bed stood in the corner, there were a few more bookshelves and a couple of chests. Besides the usual trinkets there were an abundance of sketchpads spread about among the books. Adam knelt by one of the chests and opened it for her revealing beautiful fabrics. He was downstairs again before she could thank him, leaving her to try on the clothes.

Whoever the garments belonged to must have had a special love of blue, white and gold. Most of the skirts were different shades of blue, though a blue as light as the midday sky seemed most common. They were beautifully made embroidered with flowers. Rose chose a pretty skyblue skirt with a matching bodice, both embroidered with white flowers. The previous owner of the clothes must have had a slighter frame than Rose did. The skirt fit comfortably around her waist, but she struggled with fitting it over her hips and the bodice was tight over her breasts. Still it was better than her dirty clothes.

When she came back downstairs again the look on Adam's face caused her to wonder who the clothes had belonged to. His eyes widened and he inhaled and exhaled slowly, it was not the look of someone seeing a girl they hardly knew in a stranger's clothes. Bringing the blanket with her over to the couch where Adam sat she folded it neatly and sat down, placing the blanket between them. The tension in his shoulders became more apparent as she sat so close to him and she realized it was the closest they'd been since he'd stopped taking her temperature.

"Thank you for the clothes, they're beautiful," Rose began, unsure of how to start a conversation with him. He simply nodded, the muscles in his neck tense. "Who did they belong to? If I may ask."

"They belonged to my mother," Adam said, only a slight hint of sadness in his voice. His eyes stayed fixated on the fireplace, watching the sparks fly up the chimney.

"Where is she now?" Rose asked, finding her opening.

"She's dead," Adam stated plainly, his eyes finding hers. Seeing an apology on it's way to her mouth he continued. "She died when I was just a baby so I never really knew her."

"My father is dead too," Rose said, her eyes filled with much more sadness than his. Surprise and worry gleamed in his eyes, whose color Rose had yet to decide on. "He died a couple of years ago. I still miss him."

"I suppose it's different when you know them," Adam said after searching long for words to comfort her. Rose simply nodded and brushed a single tear from her cheek.

"What about your father? How is he?" She asked, partly out of curiousity, partly to distract herself from memories of her own father. The moment the question left her lips she knew she shouldn't have said anything. Adam's eyes returned to the fire and his jaw clenched, while his shoulders grew even more tense.

"I don't know," Adam said, staring intensely into the fire. "I haven't spoken to him in years."

"I'm sorry, Adam," Rose softly touched his arm and felt the muscles tighten at her touch. She was about to pull away when he looked up at her and something in his eyes made her leave it.

"Don't be," he said, shaking his head slightly. His brow furrowed and he looked away as he contemplated what he was to say next. "Your father, how did he die? Was it... the wolf?"

"No, it wasn't you,-" no sooner had the word left her mouth before she regret it. The hand she had on his arm shot up to clasp over her mouth, as if that would help. She prepared herself for his anger and a quick, merciless death, but in his eyes all she saw was grief.

"So you know," was all he said, his eyes dropping to his hands. Before she could say anything else he stood and left her sitting alone with her guilt.

* * *

 _Stumbling into her father's bed chambers Aislinn felt as if all the world were sitting on her shoulders, crushing her. Tears flowed freely from her eyes and down unto her black mourning robe, her body rocking with the sobs. The room was cold, the windows were open to air out the room. She swallowed down the ball of guilt and anger she felt, thinking that they were airing out the rooms for her._

 _Leaning against the door to the chamber, Aislinn felt a strange pull toward the draped object her father had shown her two years before. The white cloth still covered the beautiful mirror showing the cruel world, no one had known what to do with it so they had left it despite removing the rest of the late king's possessions. With one pale thin hand the soon-to-be queen reached forward, long fingers grasping the thick material. With more force than intended she yanked the cloth off the mirror and let out a scream at the sight. In the mirror stood a creature hardly recognizable to the princess. It was clearly human, but it's thin silvery blonde hair clung to it's sweaty face, obscuring the face. The creature stood hunched over, looking ancient in it's drab clothing. It's features were twisted with mad grief. Terrified eyes saw themselves in the mirror before pale fists crashed against it, again and again._

 _The princess fell to her knees with bloody hands in a pool of glass, spotted with blood. Big, blank eyes stared at the hole where the glass used to be and a strange calm came over her. Her hands felt numb and the painful ache in her chest seemed hollow and distant. The ghost of a smile crossed her lips._

 _That was how the servants found their future queen._

* * *

"Adam?" Rose called up the stairs, taking them two steps at a time so she was halfway up before she even saw him. He seemed to brace himself for something, but she wasn't sure what he thought was going to happen. She walked up to him before saying anything. "I'm sorry about downstairs, I shouldn't have said it like that. I've just always been told that the wolf is dangerous and-"

"A monster?" The self-loathing in Adam's voice felt like a punch in the gut.

"No," she protested, stepping closer to him by some instinct. Suddenly the air between them felt harder to breathe. Rose tried desperately to catch his eyes, to convey that she wasn't scared of him, but he refused to look at her.

"If you want to leave, I can take you back to your village first thing in the morning," he said, still not looking at her. "It'll be cold, you might want to wear something warmer than that cloak of yours, but-"

"I don't want to go," Rose blurted out. Finally her eyes caught his, filled with confusion and doubt. "You said the weather is too bad and I would rather stay here, with you, than try to find my way through that storm."

"But, Rose, you shouldn't-" Adam struggled to find the words, desperation breaking through the confusion in his eyes. "You shouldn't want to be here with me."

"But I do," she insisted, finding some courage within herself to take his hands in hers. Standing so close to him she could feel heat radiating from his body and she smelled the fresh scent of pinetrees on him. "All my life I longed to go into the forest and stay, the way I used to as a child. I never thought about the danger then and I think less of it now. I think I always longed to see the wolf too, and now here I am, with him making me dinner and walking in on me naked in the tub." His embarrassed laugh and blushing cheeks caused her to laugh a little herself. "And I don't want to leave, unless you want me to."

"I don't," he sighed and some of the tension in his shoulders melted away as Rose slipped into his arms and hugged him tightly.

* * *

 **AN: So a slightly shorter chapter than usual, but I hope you like it anyway!**

 **One thing before the questions; there are a couple of characters that I would really like if someone is interested in creating them. Please contact me so I can tell you the specifics! Remember that there is no max limit on characters, you can submit as many as you want!**

 **1\. Which unintroduced character from the tumblr are you most excited about meeting?**

 **2\. I am considering writing some more mature scenes into this (read; smuttier scenes), how would you feel about that? I have ideas for alternate ways of doing it, but if everyone's cool with it then I won't have to do the extra work.**

 **3\. If you could pick two of the characters to be roomies with, who would you choose? (random question, I know, but I'm running low on good ones)**

 **By the way, I love to hear who you ship and who your favorite characters are so feel free to slip that into your review as well. Predictions or guesses about what's going on or anything are also very welcome.**

 **And if you want to find some of the smaller characters they might be on somebody else's family page. For example Philip is on Lucy's family page. Hope that helps.**


	5. Lily

_"When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointment, defeat, and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way."_

\- Paulo Coelho

* * *

The snow lay heavy on the ground, covering the village and forest in a cold blanket, growing ever thicker with the falling of snowflakes. The sun peeked on occasion out from behind the heavy grey clouds, but could do nothing to lighten the snow's weight on the ground. Worry weighed heavier still on Lily's mind as she watched the snow tighten its grip on her village. Though the snow was still falling steadily it had not been unbearable for days and there still had not been any sign of Rose. With Rose's fiery stubbornness she could have easily made it through worse weather by pure spite. A cruel suspicion wrapped cold fingers around her heart, sending visions of a pale girl in a blood red hood lying against a tree with lips kissed blue by the cold. She shook the thoughts from her mind and turned her back to the window, arms wrapped around her chest.

Turning gave her no consolation as an even bleaker sight met her. Her mother sat in one of their wooden chairs by the hearth, gazing at the flames with empty eyes. Her once flaming hair was streaked with silver and hang limply, framing her sunken eyes and hollowed cheeks. She had hardly spoken since Rose left and she seemed less alive with every day she was gone. Lily shuddered to think she looked the same way she had when Lily's father had died. Her mother hadn't spoken or eaten for days, she had just stayed seated watching the fire. It was only after Lily's grandmother had come to talk sense to her daughter that she had begun to live again. Somehow Lily did not expect her grandmother to show up any time soon.

* * *

The Storybrooke bar was packed more tightly than usual with sweaty bodies filling every available space. It was hard to tell who was dancing with whom and what was flirting as opposed to randomly bumping into someone. Two people who were definitely dancing with each other were May and Rose, both clearly intoxicated from their unsteady and rythmless dancing.

"You look really hot tonight!" May shouted to be heard over the loud music. She had probably told Rose she looked great about a dozen times that night, but somehow her drunken mind kept thinking it necessary to say it one more time.

"Thanks, Adam's here," the other girl replied, a boozy grin spreading across her face. May felt her own face fall at the mention, she hadn't gotten around to talking to the younger girl about him yet. Rose turned her head to the bar where the man in question sat with Cyrus and their usual gang. She sent him a flirtatious smile and licked her lips unconciously.

"We need to talk about him," May said, pulling the brunette with her to a quieter corner where they wouldn't have to shout. Rose shot her a confused and annoyed look, clearly not wanting to leave her spot where Adam could see her. "I think you should be more careful. I'm not sure he's good for you."

"You're one to talk, you're fucking Cyrus," Rose with a mocking half-laugh. "He's like the king of bad influences!"

"Yeah, well clearly I'm the Queen of bad decisions," May replied, anger breaking through her boozy mind. She grabbed hold of Rose's arm before the other girl to leave to return to the dance floor. "Look, I'm not kidding. You shouldn't see him, you'll just get hurt!

"Jesus, you sound just like Lily!"

"If I agree with your prude sister then we're probably right!"

"Or you're just keeping me from having fun," Rose replied, pulling her arm free of May's grip and storming away as fast as she could in her state and heels. Before she was too far away she turned back to the blonde with a cold look in her eyes. "And find somewhere else to sleep tonight."

"How drunk are you?" A deep voice aksed from behind Adam and he didn't need to turn to know it was Kaleb's. He held up his beer and took a deep swig before replying.

"A little," he replied casually, turning his head towards the bartender. The younger man leaned over the bar to whisper in the slightly tipsy man's year.

"I get off work at two, if you wanna-"

"Can't," the Adam stated plainly, causing a look of confusion and hurt to flash across the bartender's face. It also caused the man beside him to smirk impishly. Kaleb understood suddenly as a pretty brunette in a short black dress pushed through the crowd and positioned herself right in front of Adam, his knees far apart on the barstool he was sitting on. She pulled him to her by his leather jacket, crashing their lips together. His hands snaked their way down her back, pushing her closer to him. The man sitting beside them offered a malicious but silent laugh at the bartender, who pretended not to notice the heavy kissing going on just in front of him.

"Ready?" The girl pulled away from Adam, urgency in her eyes. Emptying the last of his beer bottle in one swallow, he slammed it unto the counter. Just as he put his arm around the brunette and made to leave the man beside him grabbed the sleeve of his leather jacket and fished something out of his own pocket with his free hand. He slapped it into Adam's hand, sharing a knowing look with him.

"Enjoy yourselves," he smirked with a wink to the girl as she headed out of the bar with Adam's arm around her shoulders.

"Look what Jamie got me!" Ellie ran up to the bar and proudly pushed her hair behind her ear to reveal a pair of gorgeous gold and ruby earrings. Still slightly put off by the incident Kaleb only smiled quickly to his friend and nodded. The dark-eyed girl seemed almost insulted that he didn't show more enthusiasm at her gift.

"He's just mad his playboy has found a new bunny," Cyrus filled her in with a smug smile. Kaleb's shoulders tensed, but he sent a half-hearted smile to Ellie when she gently touched his arm.

"I'm sorry. I've got to go, Jamie's waiting," the girl reluctantly pulled herself away from her friend with one last comforting smile. As she turned to pass the man on the barstool next to her he slapped her ass hard. Resisting the urge to punch him, Ellie pushed through the crowd toward the tall, dark man at the door.

"Run on home to your sugar daddy, Ellie!" Cyrus shouted after the darkhaired girl who only showed him one of her fingers in return.

* * *

"What do you mean I'm not going?" Monty sounded like a child, all indignant anger. Lily had planned on leaving him a letter, explaining that she had gone to look for Rose and would be back when she could. "You shouldn't go out there alone!"

"But we shouldn't both go," Lily argues, showing an extra shawl into her father's old leather bag. She had decided to go and would not let Monty hold her back, not when she could save her sister's life. "I need someone to care for my mother."

"Why can't you stay then and I can go?"

"Because I know someone who can help if we meet the wolf," Lily said, moving to grab her cloak and fasten it around her neck. "And I am the one who let Rose go, I should be the one to get her back. Besides I think my mother likes you a lot more than me right now."

"I doubt Rose likes me more than you," Monty said, a bitter edge to his voice as he pushed Lily's hands aside to tie her cloak securely. The girl's brown eyes looked up at him, almost the same eyes as her sister's. For a moment he thought he could see Rose through those eyes, but found it to be a trick of the light and his own longing.

"Please, I have to go find her," Lily said, wrapping her hands around his. "I'll tell her how much you missed her and you can make up for whatever it was that you said when we get back."

"All right," Monty sighed, freeing his hands from Lily's. To his own surprise and disappointment he felt a wave of relief wash over him. There was little love lost between him and the forest and he was glad he would be spared the sights and beasts that might await there.

* * *

 _The lights of the festival filled the clearing along with laughter and the foreigners' music. Tables full of food lined the edge of the forest while villagers danced in the middle of the clearing with the foreigners, for once letting themselves go. The children ran in between the grown-ups' legs, playing tag and other games._

 _"_ _Lily, Lily!" The 7-year-old's high-pitched voice could be heard over the music and grabbed the attention of her older sister on the other side of the clearing. Lily saw her little sister come running towards her, hardly bothering to step around the dancing adults, pulling a boy along by the hand. At first Lily expected the boy to be Monty, the shepherd's boy and Rose's constant companion, but this boy was too tall and too dark to be Monty. He was skinnier too. "This is Chistobel."_

 _"_ _Nice to meet you," Lily nodded to him, noting how deep brown his eyes were. A dark flop of hair fell into his eyes and he used a tan hand to push it back again. He was wearing typical clothes for a foreigner, a loose shirt with long sleeves under a red vest and with wispy orange pants. Rose grabbed hold of the boy's finger and pulled him down so she could whisper in his ear._

 _"_ _Do the magic," she whispered loudly enough for Lily to hear without strain._

 _"_ _You want me to do magic?" The boy asked, a mischievous smile at his lips. Lily figured he might be couple of years older than she was, judging by his tall and lanky frame. The little girl nodded solemnly, with a serious expression on her face. "Alright, I'll need a small object."_

 _Rose seemed to have seen the trick before because she quickly pulled a white flower from the crown on her head and handed it to the boy. He held it above Rose's head in his right hand and she stared up at him with wide, excited eyes._

 _"_ _I am now going to turn this ordinary flower," he paused for dramatic effect, looking directly at Lily. "Into a beautiful ribbon of the purest silk. Are you with me?"_

 _Rose gave a small squeal of joy and nodded frantically. Lily found herself nodding along too, a smile pulling at her lips. The boy closed his eyes in concentration. Wrapping his fingers around the flower and taking a deep breath, holding it along with the two girls. When he opened his right hand the flower was gone, but Lily couldn't see a ribbon either. Her little sister looked over at her with a smug smile, and shared a knowing look the gypsy boy as he opened his left hand and revealed a shining white ribbon. Lily's mouth fell opened and Rose giggled before running off, probably to find someone else the boy could show his magic trick to._

 _"_ _Does she always run?" The boy laughed, sitting down on the bench next to Lily. Lily only nodded, head still spinning with the magic she had seen and the excitement the new boy brought with him. "Your sister, Rose, was it?"_

 _"_ _Yes," Lily confirmed, her eyes meeting his. He was very different from the boys in the village. Not only was he taller and darker, but he also moved more gracefully. "And you're Chistobel?"_

 _"_ _Christobel, actually," he smiled, leaning a little closer to her. His hand went under her hair, touching her neck and causing her to stiffen. He gathered her hair together and pulled the ribbon around it, tying a knot and securing it. As he leaned back to admire his own handiwork Lily felt herself able to breathe again. His dark eyes stayed on her face, searching it somehow. Lily felt the warmth of a blush crawl up her cheeks and she had to turn her head away from him. "Forgive me, I didn't mean to stare."_

 _"_ _It's alright," Lily whispered, more quietly than her sister. She let her eyes return to the stranger's face, ignoring her own blushing cheeks._

 _"_ _Your skin is just so light," he said, as if he had never seen such a thing. "It's almost like snow."_

 _"_ _My father calls me that sometimes, Snow white" Lily said, regretting it just as she said it. "It's silly-"_

 _"_ _No, I think it's sweet," Christobel said, making Lily's blush burn brighter than ever, turning her white cheeks pink. In one swift movement he produced the white flower he had supposedly turned into the ribbon, seemingly from thin air and placed it gently in the hair just above her ear. "I think you're sweet, Snow White."_

* * *

"Did you do all of these yourself?" Rose asked as she looked up at the wall of photographed tattooes in Adam's parlor. A lot of them were smaller ones, simplistic and symbolic, but some were bigger and filled with detail. She saw a few she had seen before, like the birds flying up across May's back and the crocodile lying in wait on Cyrus' hip. Both May and Cyrus had more tattoos that Rose knew of and found on the wall, and some she didn't recognize were probably theirs, but most of the tattoos were unknown to her. She had never known that so many people in storybrooke were inked. Her eyes drifted to an open folder filled with designs. Skimming through it she hardly noticed Adam approaching her from behind until he breathed down her neck.

"Yeah, I did," he breathed into her ear, one arm wrapping around her waist and another resting on her hip. The alcohol was heavy on his breath and she found her own head spinning from it. She leaned back against him finding to her surprise that he had taken off his shirt as the bare skin above her dress met his.

"They're beautiful," she whispered as Adam greedily kissed her neck, sending shivers down her spine. The hand on her hip travelled down to pull up the hem of her dress.

"You're beautiful," he mumbled against her neck, warm breath against her skin. She giggled, turning in his arms to look at him. Her fingers gently traced the ink on his skin, following the arrow that shot up from his hip to his ribs. Rose's nails dragged against his skin on their way up his ribs and over to his shoulder where the slid down the swan's elegant neck down to the wolf lurking behind trees. Something about the wolf's cool blue eyes never failed to catch her attention.

"Would you do one on me?" Rose looked up at him with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. Adam raised his eyebrows at her and laughed, making the girl in his arms scowl at him. "I'm serious! Do me now!"

" _Do_ you?" The man smirked, leaning down to her. "If you say so."

"Not like that," Rose whined, turning her head away as he bent down to kiss her forcefully on the mouth. "You know what I mean."

"Yes, but right now?"

"I promise I'll make up to you," the brunette said, pressing her body to his and snaking her arms around him. The sweet seduction of her smile and the promise of a reward fought with his conviction against tattooing drunk people. Then again he had a conviction against fucking teens too and Rose didn't seem to mind that.

"Fine, " he breathed, relishing the radiant smile that beamed off the young girl's face. "What do you want?"

"That one," Rose stated proudly, pointing to a tattoo in the folder. He chuckled at her choice and pulled her closer for a soft kiss.

* * *

Walking through the forest felt strangely nostalgic to Lily. She had spent so much time between these trees as a child with Rose. It felt almost like fate that she returned to the forest to look for her sister, considering all the hide and seek they had been doing there. Her heart ached as she thought about little Rose running carelessly between the trees as a child, trying to hide, but failing miserably due to fits of giggles. She remembered her father who used to run after them in the meadow, pretending to be a beast. A more painful memory of following Rose out into the woods after their father died to comfort her, only to find her sitting alone in the meadow crying. Her last memory of the meadow sent a chill down her spine, despite her warm cloak.

Unlike Rose Lily had always known to stay on the path, but she couldn't imagine that Rose would've managed to stay on it with the storm raging the way it had. With her head held high and her jaw set in determination Lily strayed from the path, blissfully unaware of two bright blue eyes following her movements.

* * *

 _"_ _Snow White, is that really you?" Lily's head whipped around, half-expecting to see her father, but instead finding herself face to chest with one of the foreigners. Looking up she found an oddly familiar face that she couldn't quite place. The boy had a longer face, tan like all the foreigners and a flop of dark hair under his mahogany head wrap._

 _"_ _Who are you?" She asked, furrowing her brow. The tall boy flashed her a crooked smile and glanced about the fair before leaning in so he was closer to her face._

 _"_ _You're wearing my ribbon, but you don't remember me?" The mischievous gleam in his eye made the inches he had grown and the light stubble on his face disappear, revealing to her the boy she had met five years before._

 _"_ _I do!" Lily exclaimed, smiling in embarrassment at the smug look on the boy's face. "Christobel, right? My little sister made you do magic."_

 _"_ _Yes, she did," he replied, almost as if he had forgotten that part himself. "Is she still as forceful?"_

 _"_ _More so, I fear," Lily laughed, catching his eyes. They were the same dark brown she remembered, and she was sure his hair would fall into his eyes in the same way if he let it out of the head wrap. The same lanterns they used to hang in the trees in the clearing now hung from the houses. After the wolf they had moved the festival to the marketplace for safety. The only person who was still truly upset about the move was Rose, who seemed to cling to the idea that the woods could still be safe._

 _"_ _Do you want to dance?" The boy extended a tan hand to her and not for the last time that night Lily felt her heart skip a beat. With a nervous smile, she placed her pale hand in his and let him lead her out among the dancers._

* * *

"Rose! Rose, are you there?" Lily didn't know how long she had been walking, but she was determined not to give up. She would call Rose's name until she lost her voice if she had to. "Rose, call out if you can hear me!"

A roar stopped her in her tracks. The sound had come from further in the woods, but sent chills down her spine nonetheless. Listening more closely she could hear grunts, roars and thumps coming from someplace further up the hill. Without another word Lily gathered up her skirts and ran back toward the path, not daring to look behind her to see if something was following her.

* * *

Losing herself in a book about the history of the flower kingdom, Rose relished the warmth from the fire as the snow fell lightly against the windows. She had found a strange peace in the cabin, a peace that hadn't seemed to quite find her when she was back home. It was strange how she felt so at home in a stranger's house in the middle of the woods when all anyone had ever done was warn her against strangers in the woods.

She had just finished the chapter about princess Luciana who was kidnapped by an evil sorcerer and saved by Prince Philip, when Adam came home. Being accustomed to his constant coming and going she didn't really think too much about it and was about to start a new chapter, but noticed from the cold wind that he hadn't closed the door. Turning to ask him to shut the door she found him leaning against the doorframe, hunched over and gripping at his left shoulder.

"Adam, what happened? Are you alright?" Rose hurried over to him, seeing to her horror the blood soaking through his shirt. He was pale and sweating despite the cold outside. His breath was shallow and he leaned heavily on Rose as she supported him over to the couch where he could sit down. She quickly closed the door to keep the chill out and hurried back to him on the couch. He had let go of his bloody shoulder and used his uninjured arm instead to hold on to his head, as if it were loose. "What happened?"

"Bear," he mumbled, his voice even more gruff than usual. He grabbed the front of his shirt with his free arm and ripped it open. When he moved his hand he left a red stain on his forehead. It took Rose a few moments to understand what he meant to do, partially because she was too distracted by the blood from his shoulder and the sudden sight of his abdomen. When she did understand his intentions she helped him take the shirt off with unsteady hands. Underneath the cloth his shoulder looked even worse. There were four deep scratches with blood smeared between them making it hard to see where each scratch ended and another began. "Get water. Clean it."

Cursing herself as she needed another few moments to register that he was talking to her Rose stood and darted to the jug of water he kept by the table where they ate. She grabbed a piece of cloth off the table and soaked it in the water before hurrying back to him. Unsure of exactly how to clean the wound, she gently pressed the cloth to one of the scratches, but withdrew her hand when Adam hissed in pain. When he opened his eyes he looked over at her and gave a small nod. Rose tried to press the cloth even more softly to the wound, but she couldn't tell if it was helping or he had just gotten used to the pain. She had to run back to the jug to clean the cloth over and over as she rinsed the blood away, but slowly the wounds were starting to look cleaner. They didn't look as bad when the blood was gone and she could tell each scratch apart from the next one.

"Good," he said through clenched teeth. "Now, rip a strip off my shirt and bind the wound."

As she ripped his shirt with shaky fingers Rose wondered how Adam knew exactly what to do. Back in the village everyone with a wound or illness would go to the traveling doctor who passed by every now and then, or to one of the older women in the village. She figured he had probably picked it up at some point when he had gotten hurt before. She felt her heart ache for him as she imagined him being young, scared and alone with a wound like the one he had now. Looking at the man he was now it was hard to imagine him young and scared.

"You have to bind it tightly so it doesn't bleed," he explained, looking at her with eyes that seemed too bright for his pale and sweaty face. His brown hair clung to the sweat on his forehead and his chest gleamed with it. She quickly averted her eyes to his shoulder as she began tying the pieces of fabric around it. His skin felt hot under her fingers, like something was on fire within him. When she finished binding the wound he seemed to breathe more easily, relaxing a little more.

"Thank you," he said, meeting her eyes. He seemed for a moment to be about to say something, but thought better of it and let one hand grab unto his head again, holding it in place.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes, I just need to lie down a little bit," he replied, his hand rubbing the blood all over his forehead.

"Oh, just lie your head in my lap," she said, blushing when he looked at her in confusion. "You just have some blood on your forehead and I can clean it up."

"Oh, right," he said and Rose could swear that he blushed slightly, but it was hard to tell. Being careful not to hurt his shoulder he placed his head in her lap and closed his eyes. Washing off the blood with one hand she let her other hand rest on his head, gently stroking his sweat soaked hair. His breathing grew slower and deeper and a tranquil look calmed his features as he drifted to sleep.

* * *

Sunlight streamed in through the kitchen window and down unto the many papers Lily had in front of her. Skimming through the stories her 11-year-olds had written for their assignment was starting to feel a little too much like Groundhog Day. She was seriously regretting asking them to write their favorite fairytale with an added twist. All too often the twist consisted of the bad guys asking the good guys for forgiveness before everyone lived happily ever after. It wasn't until she got to a little girl's version of the Snow Queen that things began getting interesting. Instead of going with the Frozen version that everyone else who had chosen that fairytale did, that little girl had gone with the original and was actually writing a very good story. If the grammar hadn't been completely off and the pacing very abrupt, Lily might have thought it had been a children's novel written by an adult. It was certainly just as good as the illustrated books that accompanied many of Disney's movies, although the crayon drawings were slightly subpar.

Just as Lily was about to finish the story she heard something fall to the floor and Rose curse. Figuring that she could use a break, Lily headed upstairs to check on her sister. When she entered the younger girl's room her eyes went wide. Not only did her sister look like a train wreck with leftover makeup smeared down her cheeks and her hair all tangled, but on her left shoulder blade there was a moon.

"Please tell me that is a henna tattoo," Lily said, already knowing the answer. Rose shook her head, putting the concealer she had been applying to the tattoo down on her desk. Stepping closer to her sister Rose looked at the circle on her sister's shoulder only to discover that it wasn't even a moon. The tattoo was of a wolf curled up into a circle and made to look like a moon. "Whose idea was that? Who talked you into it?"

" _No one_ talked me into it," Rose replied, stepping away from her sister. "I thought of it myself."

"And nobody stopped you? Jesus, Rose," Lily said, raising her voice slightly. Looking at her sister was like looking at a stranger. The dark circles under her eyes from staying out too late, the bushy hair and the tattoo were all traits that belonged to some other girl.

"Please don't tell mom," Rose begged, trying not to sound like a child and failing. Lily felt her eyebrows raise and could hardly keep from laughing in the other girl's face.

"You had better pray that doesn't get infected," was all she said before leaving her sister's room, leaving Rose with a knot in her stomach and tears in her eyes. She didn't know what to do and ended up calling the one person she knew could help.

"Hi, May, look I'm sorry about last night and I need your help."

* * *

 _Stealing kisses in the light of the setting sun, Lily wished the sun would stay in the sky and not let the day be over. With Christobel's soft lips on hers, his long fingers in her dark hair and his firm body pressing her against the wall she only wanted to stay in that moment forever. Judging by the urgency of his kisses he felt the same way._

 _"_ _Do you need to go?" Lily asked pushing him lightly away. The hurt that flashed across his handsome face made her hands reach up to cup his cheeks. The light of the sun dyed his hair gold and hers red and hid their flushed faces, should anyone happen to see them._

 _"_ _Lily, you know I do," he replied regretfully, his dark eyes on hers. He steadied himself against the wall with one arm, the other still entangled in her hair. "But you know I would rather stay here, don't you?"_

 _"_ _Yes, I just-" Lily cut herself off, pulling her eyes away from him. The hand in her hair moved to her cheek to turn her head towards him, gently forcing her to look up at him. "I just wish you'd stay."_

 _"_ _I know, Snow," he sighed, leaning his forehead against hers. Even when he was far away he could always see her in his mind, beautiful pale skin framed by black hair. As a nomad he had met many beautiful girls, but none stuck to his memory the way she did. Breathing in her sweet scent he had never felt more at home. "Marry me."_

 _"_ _What?" Lily turned her body away from him, shocked at the question that had hardly been more than a breath against her hair. His dark eyes were steady on hers, completely serious. Gone was the cheeky teasing that usually accompanied similar statements from him. "Don't kid me, Christobel."_

 _"_ _I'm not, I mean it," he said, voice steady. Both his hands now cupped her cheeks, his eyes staying on hers. "You don't have to decide now, but think about it. Do you still have the ribbon?" She nodded, pulling the snowy white ribbon from the coin purse at her hip. "Good, keep it with you. I'll come back in a year for the answer."_

 _Not knowing what else to do Lily threw her arms around his shoulders and kissed him, more urgently than ever before. He followed her example gladly and pressed his body against hers. His lips moved from hers to her cheeks and then down to her neck. His hands were on her back, trying to pull her even closer to him. Her own hands tangled in his hair, enjoying the feverish passion he was kissing her with. Her eyes had slipped close as she kissed him and when she opened them again she found the sky had gone dark. The sun had gone down on their last day together._

* * *

When Rose lay on the couch that night she struggled to sleep as thoughts of Adam kept creeping up on her, disturbing her inner peace. She tossed and turned underneath her soft blanket, trying to shake the haunting images from her inner eye. Images of Adam's chest, soaked with sweat. His hair falling into his eyes and sticking to his forehead. The clenched muscles of his arms as he flexed them against the pain. His heavy breathing and soft moans in her ear. The thoughts sent involuntary shivers down her spine.

Almost unconsciously Rose's hand had placed itself on her stomach, just below her belly button and was drawing lazy circles there. Her eyes drifted closed as the images returned, less unwanted now. After he woke Adam had left and expected to stay out in the forest all night to make sure the bear stayed away so there was no need for her to be catious. She remembered the hotness of his skin, like he was being burned from the inside out. His smell of sweat and evergreens and a sweet scent she hadn't identified yet. His strong jaw clenched. The undeterminable color of his intense eyes.

While the images blurred together and wove a full picture of him, Rose's hand dipped slightly lower and her other hand had crept up her ribs toward her breast. She felt the soft material of the blanket she slept in stroke lightly against her exposed skin with every little movement, waking her body. The wind blew past the tiny cottage, whispering sweet nothings against the walls. The hand by her breast carelessly undid the ribbon that tied the top of her nightgown giving her hand better access to her breast. Imitating the movement of her other hand she leisurely trailed circles in her breast, staying away from the nipple.

As her lower hand moved beneath her underclothes she let her mind wander back to Adam. She wondered how it would feel to have those muscular arms wrap around her body and pull her closely to him. Would his chest feel hard against her own soft form, or would they melt together. Was his body as warm, would she too feel like she was burning up with a fire ignited in her soul. Could his big hand fit over her entire breast, or would he cup the side of her breast and leave his thumb to work at the peak. Just as the thought crossed her mind her own thumb crossed her nipple and sent shivers down her spine and a soft moan escaped her lips before she could stop it by biting down lightly on her bottom lip.

The fingers beneath her underwear had created a pool between her legs and caused heat to build in her lower abdomen. Her hips were moving slightly with her hand, letting her fingers hit new spots inducing small earthquakes that rushed up and down her spine. Her heartbeat raced in time with them and she felt her skin flushing. At this point the images in her mind had turned to an imagined reality in which Adam had pulled her forcefully to him after she rinsed his wound. His warm body pressed against hers and Rose let her hands roam the tense muscles of his broad shoulders. He released her slightly, giving her hands room to move down to the hard plates of his chest, the light caress of her fingertips softening his clenched muscles. Only then did she become aware that she was lying on top of him and that his hardened member pressed into her hip.

At the thought of his member Rose's hips thrust forward and a new wave flowed into the pool between her legs. Soft whimpers and moans were freely escaping her and she didn't even bite her lip to stop them. She was gripping her breasts with more force and alternating between them, never leaving one unattended for too long. Her fingers were rubbing more firmly now, sliding easily in the wetness. All caution was gone as her back arched and her head pushed back into her pillow, gasping for air. In her fantasy she was straddling Adam, his hard member rubbing against her as they rocked their hips. His hands were underneath her skirt, caressing her inner thighs. Their moans lingered together between heavy, warm breaths.

Someone softly clearing their throat pulled her back into the reality and even before her eyes slid back into focus she knew that it was Adam. For one hot moment she was still lost in the fantasy and all she wanted was for him to throw himself on top of her, force himself into her and thrust until they both came undone. The moment passed and she was suddenly aware of her exposed breast and the awkwardly placed hand between her legs. Before she could do or say anything to apologize or explain, he wished her a goodnight and bounded up the stairs and out of sight.

* * *

 **AN: Hi guys, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you think!**

 **1\. What did you think of the slightly smutty end? If everyone just thinks it's awkward I can stop writing it, but if you readers enjoy it I can totally keep writing these things.**

 **2\. What's your favorite fairytale movie? (could be Disney, a tradition fairytale movie or a modern adaption or anything)**

 **I've reblogged a couple of prompt lists if anyone is interested in having me write some of them for the characters. I think it's really interesting to know what you guys like and these prompts really help me, so if you're interested in that go check it out and shoot me a message! Some of the prompts may end up in the story, if they fit into it. On the tumblr you can also ask questions for the characters, if that's something you guys are into!**

 **I'm also still looking for a couple of characters so if anyone is interested then hit me up and we'll figure it out!**

 **Bye guys!**


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